Old Ghosts
by Incatnito
Summary: A violent incident in Calleigh's past collides with her present when 3 brothers she testified against are released and come seeking revenge.
1. Chapter 1

Old Ghosts

by Incatnito

Chapter 1

This is the continuation of my first story, Rabbithole and takes place nearly two years later during Season 5 - after 'Going Under' and not long before 'Man Down'. As with the previous story, this began as a Horatio/Calleigh pairing but because of canon, I've reworked it as Eric/Calleigh - sort of. These two are finally getting a clue but it's still going to be a while before anything comes of it. Still, the pursuit of happiness is sometimes about the happiness of pursuit.

All the usual disclaimers - not mine, merely borrowing, promise to put them back.

Friday,

2:45 pm

Eric put his head in the door of Trace and nodded to Ryan before addressing Natalia, "Hey, have you seen Calleigh?"

The brunette looked up from the evidence she was studying and frowned a little, "Not since the Garcia crime scene. Have you tried calling her?" She rolled her eyes at the look on his face. Okay, it wasn't the brightest question. "Is she out of service or is it going to voicemail?"

"It's going to voicemail."

Ryan snorted softly and both Eric and Natalia looked over at him. Natalia spoke first, "What?"

"Nothing," the younger man shook his head, concentrating on the item he was examining.

The other two exchanged looks and Eric came further into the room, "What's going on, Wolfe?"

Ryan scowled as he raised his head, "Probably nothing. It was just something Cooper mentioned."

"What?" Eric did his best to rein in his temper. It wasn't like Calleigh to be out of touch with the lab for any length of time during work hours and he was getting worried. Their jobs could become dangerous at a moment's notice. It was something he always knew but hadn't really dwelt on, at least, not until Calleigh had been forced off the road and into a canal while on her way back from a crime scene. Getting that call from Horatio had scared the hell out of him. Despite their failed relationship, he still cared deeply for the blonde.

The younger man sighed, "Coop saw Calleigh and Jake Berkeley talking in the hallway before she left for the Garcia scene. He said Berkeley looked pretty smug afterwards and then he left about 20 minutes later."

"So?" Natalia looked at Ryan with a slight trace of annoyance. She'd had her share of innuendo while trying to overcome the stigma of being a Fed informant and she genuinely liked her blonde colleague. Horatio and Calleigh had been the first to forgive her transgressions and show support as she trained to become a CSI. What Ryan was obliquely suggesting didn't sit well with her and she didn't have to look at Eric to know his anger was growing.

"So, nothing," Ryan sounded exasperated, "I'm just telling you what Cooper saw, but Calleigh did leave the scene early." He finally turned and glared at Delko, "You know those two have a history together."

"And? This is Calleigh we're talking about. You really think she'd blow off work for Berkeley?" Eric's voice dripped with disdain as he moved closer to Ryan. He didn't much like the detective and it was hard not to transfer those feelings to Wolfe. It was even harder to believe that Calleigh had once been in a relationship with that egotistical jerk.

"No I don't, but where is she then?" Ryan shot back defensively, "I haven't seen Jake all afternoon either."

"All right, you two," Natalia cut in, "This isn't helping." She turned to Eric, "I'm sure there's a perfectly innocent reason for her not answering. Maybe she's interviewing a witness and doesn't want to be interrupted. If her phone is going to voicemail then you can track it with GPS." She swung a sharp look at Ryan before returning her attention to Delko, "Why not figure out where she is before you start jumping to conclusions?"

She stared at Eric until the tension in his shoulders lessened and he dropped his gaze, "Yeah, you're right." Delko shot a glance over at Ryan, "Sorry, man, I didn't mean to bite your head off."

"Yeah, you did but I can't blame you." Ryan relaxed as well, looking a bit sheepish. He knew how Eric worried about the petite blonde. He did, too. In the last couple of months, she'd had two close calls. "Just because Cooper's got an overactive imagination doesn't mean I should've been repeating it."

Natalia resealed the section of bloody shirt she'd been checking back into its evidence envelope and started for the door, "Come on, let's see about tracking the GPS." Eric stared as she breezed past him and headed out of the room. He quickly followed.

Ryan watched them leave and then stared at the table loaded with evidence. "Hey Ryan," he muttered sarcastically, "Would you mind processing all this? No? Great. See you later."

"That can't be right," Eric leaned in to get a better look at the screen.

Cooper raised his hands, "Hey man, GPS locators don't lie. Calleigh's at The Rainbow's End Motel off 56th Street."

"Her phone's there, you mean," Natalia was staring at the screen, too, with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. Bad enough they were literally spying on a teammate but to catch that teammate in an apparently compromising situation was a whole new experience. She glanced over at Eric, "What should we do?"

He looked at her for a long moment, "Nothing." Turning around, he strode out of AV.

Natalia watched him leave and then turned back and pinned Coop with a laser glare, "Not a word, you hear me? Not one word."

Cooper raised his hands in surrender along with a 'who me?' look. Natalia gave him one more glare and then, with a frustrated sigh, hurried after Delko. She caught up with him halfway down the corridor, "I'm coming with you."

Eric shot her a jaundiced look, "What makes you think I'm going anywhere?"

She rolled her eyes, "Because this is Calleigh and Calleigh doesn't do stuff like this." She hesitated for a second or two, "Should we tell Horatio?"

He shook his head, scowling, "No, not until we know what's going on." Natalia nodded silently and neither of them said anything else as they walked out to one of the department Hummers. Eric didn't even want to entertain the notion that Cooper had been right and that Jake and Calleigh were having an illicit rendezvous during their shift but there was always the possibility. He firmly quashed the feeling of jealousy. He had no right. Hell, he'd actually been the first one to get into another relationship. Eric had turned to Natalia. It was easy to do. She was beautiful, intelligent, warm - and definitely not blonde. They had kept it out of the office but it hadn't lasted that long. The pregnancy scare had put some distance between them and then Eric had stuck his foot in it, causing a complete break. He'd felt bad about it but also a bit relieved. Every time he was with Natalia, there was that niggling little sense of uneasiness - like he was doing something wrong.

Then Jake Berkeley had appeared on the scene and it turned out that he and Calleigh had been an item back at the Police Academy. The detective's smug arrogance was annoying as hell and it was all Eric could do to keep his mouth shut when that SOB set about trying to win Calleigh back. That the jerk seemed to be having some success was just mind-boggling. Despite that, Eric couldn't believe that Calleigh, as professional as she was, would jeopardize her reputation for a worktime quickie with Berkeley. If, however, it was true, he wasn't about to compound the problem by making Horatio aware of it.

Once they'd been driving for a few minutes, Natalia glanced over at Eric, "Mind if I ask a question?"

He managed a ghost of a smile, "Depends on the question."

Natalia smiled as well and then grew serious, "You, Ryan, even H - I don't understand why all of you are so... well, protective of Calleigh. I mean, it doesn't seem like she needs it. That woman's one of the most competent, professional people I've ever met."

Eric didn't say anything at first. Finally, he said softly, "We nearly lost her. I don't want to go through that again."

"You mean when she wound up in the canal?" Natalia looked confused. It had been a scary situation but Calleigh had seemed unaffected by it, not even taking the rest of the day off. No doubt about it, that soft-spoken little Southern woman was tough as nails.

"Not that," Eric shook his head before glancing over at the brunette, "Remember the Hennessey murders?"

She stared at him, clearly trying to remember, "That was a couple of years ago, right? I was in DC at the time. Rich society couple murdered by her lover and he turned out to be a serial killer? You guys caught him."

"But not before he nearly killed Calleigh - twice," Eric's expression was grim. "We were at a dead end and Calleigh and I went back to reprocess the house. I was upstairs while she worked the downstairs scene in the study. What we didn't know was that the killer had come back looking for incriminating evidence. There was a secret panic room off the study and that SOB was there, watching us. Calleigh found what he wanted, hidden in the study. He snuck up on her, shoved a knife in her back and stole it. She was in the hospital for nearly a week and a half."

Natalia's eyes were round with surprise. "Dear god," she said faintly.

"It got worse. He became fixated on her. When Alexx was taking her home after she was released from the hospital, he killed the officer escorting them and abducted them both. Calleigh jumped the guy and Alexx got away but was shot in the process. He didn't bother following up, thank god. I don't think he really cared one way or the other about Alexx, he wanted Calleigh. He was going to 'reprogram' her - using electrical shock. He had this floating nightmare of a boat rigged up and was on his way to Haiti when we finally caught up with him. By then, he'd had her for three or four hours. He was messing with her head while he tortured her. I don't know exactly what he was trying, she still won't talk about it, but he did a helluva number on her. I know she wasn't expecting to be rescued." Eric stopped talking and concentrated on his driving, his hands clenched so tightly on the steering wheel that the knuckles were white.

He jumped a little when Natalia laid a hand on his forearm. "Hey, you did rescue her. Stop beating yourself up about it."

Eric took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "Yeah, well, it wasn't enough. She's different." He flashed a quick smile at her, "You didn't know Calleigh before. She used to smile a lot more."

"These things take time," Natalia said gently before settling back in her seat. Her ex had taught her about pain and fear. She wondered what it would have been like if she'd also been convinced there was no escape. Suppressing a shudder, she looked at the GPS, "We're almost there." Eric nodded quietly.

They pulled into the parking lot of The Rainbow's End a few minutes later. "Damn," Natalia said, looking at the shabby, run-down building, "No self-respecting leprechaun would be found here."

Eric scowled as he got out of the Hummer, "I don't think Calleigh will be either." That knot in his stomach he'd been harboring grew a little bit more.

They walked into the office and a large, overweight man looked up from his paper, "$39.95 per day for a double or you can rent by the hour. Ten bucks." He leered openly at Natalia, "First hour's free if I get a turn, too."

Natalia glanced away while Eric frowned. He pulled his shield off his belt and shoved it forward, "Miami-Dade PD, asshole. I'm looking for a Calleigh Duquesne."

The man dropped his paper and raised his hands, "Hey man, take it easy. I was just kidding."

Eric tapped the counter, "Calleigh Duquesne."

Delko waited impatiently as the man heaved himself up and made his way to the counter. He flipped through a battered, dog-eared book and then frowned at Eric, "How the hell do you spell that?" He continued at look at the pages as Eric spelled it out and then pointed at a spot, "Ha, yeah, there she is, Room 149." He spun the book around for the two CSIs to see, "Checked in a couple of hours ago, paid cash."

Eric gestured at him, "Come on, we'll need your passkey."

Nervous, the man pulled out a ring of keys, "Yeah, yeah, sure. Listen, if this is some whore, I don't know nothing about it."

"Shut up," Delko growled, "Take us to the room." He refused to look at Natalia. At this point, he wasn't sure which would be worse - barging in on Calleigh under these circumstances or finding out she wasn't there.

The man led them nearly to the end of the building and pointed at a door, "This is it." The curtains were drawn tight while a small window air conditioner labored nosily.

Eric held out his hand, "Give me the key and step back." He passed it over to Natalia while drawing his sidearm, "Open the door and then move out of the way." She nodded once, her features taut. He brought up the pistol, taking a two-handed grip, bracing himself and nodded sharply to Natalia, "Go." Crouching down, she quietly unlocked the door and pushed it partly open before flattening herself against the side of the building. Eric shoved it open the rest of the way, yelling, "MIami-Dade Police! Don't move!"

A woman screamed, immediately followed by a man's bellow, "What the hell - ?"

Eric moved further into the room, feeling curiously relieved. It wasn't Calleigh or Jake. A skinny, wispy-haired redhead was holding the sheet up to her chin while a middle-aged man stared at him, "Swear to God, Officer, she told me she was 21!"

"Shut up!" Eric snapped, his anxiety returning full-force. "Where are your cellphones?"

Mystified, the couple exchanged glances. The man pointed at a pile of clothes, "Back pocket of my pants." The girl nodded towards a chair, "In my purse."

Eric kept his service weapon trained on the two while Natalia collected the phones. She held up the one from the purse, her expression grim, "This is it."

Delko gestured at the man, "You, get your clothes and get out of here." He waited until the man had bolted from the room before turning his attention back to the girl, "Where'd you get the phone?"

"Found it."

He shook his head, "That phone belongs to a missing police officer. Try again."

"I found it," she insisted.

"Fine, you're under arrest. Get dressed." Eric lowered his pistol towards the floor but kept it out. He watched impassively as Natalia handed clothes to the girl, his mind racing. Where the hell was Calleigh? He didn't think he could go through this again. They'd managed to maintain their friendship and that had meant more to Eric than he could have possibly imagined. It had been tough at first after their break-up - if you could call it that, seeing how they'd barely gotten started, but the tension had gradually eased. If nothing else, Calleigh had become a lot more open with him. Knowing the walls that she kept up, it was warming to know he was one of the few allowed inside. He had her complete trust. Eric knew just how hard that was to come by.

The girl found her voice again as Natalia put the handcuffs on her, "You can't arrest me! I didn't do anything!"

"Sure you didn't - you just happened use that officer's name when you checked in." Eric moved a step closer, "If anything has happened to Officer Duquesne, you're the one we're going to blame. You might want to think about that while you're sitting in holding." He looked over at Natalia as he holstered his pistol and pulled out his cellphone, "Call for a radio car to take her in. Now it's time to call Horatio."

It was nearly 5:00 before Eric and Natalia finally left the seedy, little motel. Horatio had taken the news calmly but Eric had the feeling all hell would be breaking loose soon. They were halfway to the lab when Horatio called back. Eric put it on speaker, "Yeah, H?"

There was a slight pause and then Horatio's voice came crackling over, "We've tracked the Hummer Calleigh was driving to an abandoned warehouse complex near the 'Glades. Frank and I are on our way now." He rattled off an address.

"Got it. We'll be there soon." Eric glanced at Natalia for a second, "H? Any contact with Calleigh?"

The pause was a little longer, "Negative. The Hummer stopped transmitting about two hours ago." Eric swallowed heavily and neither he nor Natalia said another word until they reached the scene.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to all who took the time to review. It is very much appreciated. For some of you who are asking about Eric and Calleigh becoming a couple, please remember this takes place in Season 5. They are best friends at this point and there's a mutual attraction but they haven't gone any further.

Chapter 2

Friday,

5:30 pm

Frank glanced back as Eric's Hummer pulled into view and stopped. He wasn't surprised when neither CSI got out right away. He'd had a problem getting his legs to move, too. The smoldering wreck in front of him bore little resemblance to the other department Hummers. Horatio, not surprisingly, had been the first to approach. Frank might have thought the CSI had ice in his veins had it not been for the slight unsteadiness in his gait. It had been enough to make Tripp shed his temporary paralysis and move up to support his friend. He was regretting that right now. If he hadn't walked up to the vehicle, he could still pretend there wasn't a body in the front seat.

Horatio couldn't quite bear to take his eyes off the badly burned corpse slumped across the front seat. There would be no visual identification, it would take dental records and DNA. It was possible this wasn't Calleigh. In fact, until he had positive forensic proof, he would keep right on denying it. He didn't care that the body was female and appeared to be the same size and build. It couldn't be her. He wasn't ready for another loss, especially not this one, not after losing Marisol so abruptly. Calleigh had been with him almost from the beginning. She'd slowly become the heart of his team, her bright personality overcoming the darkness of their jobs. He'd come to depend upon her rock-solid support. Dear god, it couldn't be her.

It had pained him to see her pull away from Eric, knowing how she still felt about the young Cuban. He'd been worried, too, wondering whether Owens had caused her irreparable damage. He'd worried about Eric as well. Delko had drifted into a relationship with their latest addition to the lab, Natalia Boa Vista. They'd been discreet but, reminiscent of Eric's old ways, it hadn't lasted long. Then he'd begun showing up late and disappearing at odd times. Ordinarily, Calleigh would have intervened but considering that she was probably the problem, he'd had to look into it himself. The accusations from the drug dealer and Stetler's actions had brought everything to a head but it had also brought him Marisol.

Their marriage after only a few months took most people by surprise. Eric had been less than pleased. Horatio understood the younger man's concerns about his sister and her health but it didn't deter him. Calleigh, on the other hand, had been supportive and genuinely happy for him, presenting him with a wedding gift. She'd said it was from everyone at the lab but he knew she'd been the one to take the initiative and buy something for he and Marisol. It had marked a turning point for her in what had become a hellish year for everyone.

She'd desperately needed something good to focus on after Owens and instead John Hagen had nearly completed what the other psycho had started. They'd come perilously close to losing her altogether. Although they hadn't known it was him at the time, Hagen had put a gun to the back of Calleigh's head at a crime scene, rattling her badly, and then destroyed her sanctuary by killing himself in front of her while in Firearms. Unfortunately, Horatio had been dealing with his own crisis, reeling from the sudden reappearance of his supposedly dead brother and then the loss of what was left of his family when he sent them all to Brazil for safety. Eric had stepped in and done what he could but Calleigh had already disappeared behind her walls.

Wrung out after seeing Ray, Yelena and Ray, Jr. vanish into the distance and out of his life, Horatio had returned to the lab and the one person who'd always been there to ground him and found she was gone. He'd chased Calleigh down and it took him two solid days to convince her to come back. That had been on the condition that she took some time off. She'd had nearly as much accumulated leave as he did. The surprise he'd felt when she asked for the time turned to a deepening sense of worry when three weeks became five. The sense of loss he'd felt then that she might not come back was nothing compared to what he was feeling now.

Horatio shifted slightly while still staring at the body. It seemed like he should be doing something although, for some reason, he couldn't decide what. Over the last couple of years, since Speed's death really, Horatio had slowly but surely pulled out of the lab work. It consumed too much time, narrowed his focus too much. He couldn't keep his attention on what was left of his team. It was important that he keep an eye on them. Owens had confirmed that in spades. Horatio knew when the other Hummer pulled up but couldn't bring himself to acknowledge it yet. He was waiting for Alexx. She would tell him what he needed to know.

"H?"

Horatio turned slowly, not ready for Delko's reaction just yet, "Eric."

The younger man jerked his chin towards the destroyed Hummer, his voice cracking slightly, "Is it...?" He couldn't quite bring himself to finish the question. From the way Horatio was standing, the answer couldn't be good.

Horatio took a deep breath, "Can't tell. Alexx is on her way."

Eric nodded, hesitating a bit before his features tightened. Obviously, Horatio wasn't going to believe anything until the evidence was in. He wished he could be as sanguine. Glancing away for a moment, Eric found himself taking a deep breath as well. It did nothing to settle the churning unease in his gut, "We'll start processing." He glanced over his shoulder to where Natalia was standing, staring at the burnt-out hulk. She looked slightly ill.

Horatio followed his gaze, "Keep an eye on her, Eric. She's never been through something like this."

Eric nodded stiffly once more and walked back to Natalia. The last thing he'd needed was a reminder of Speed. "You ready?" he asked quietly.

She gave him a look edged with panic. "I don't really know. I've never... god, Eric, what if that's Calleigh?"

Delko looked away for a few seconds, making sure his emotions were under control. It was a question that had been relentlessly repeating itself in his head. Finally, he turned back to her, his expression grimly determined, "Then we do right by her and get the people responsible." He held out his hand for the camera, "How about I take the photos and you check the perimeter for trace?"

"Okay." Eric could hear the gratitude in her voice and it made him feel briefly better. Steeling himself, he turned back to the Hummer. He needed to detach himself from the task at hand and the camera would be his shield. For a while, Eric managed to distance himself by getting involved in the minutia of evidence. 'It wasn't Calleigh until they had proof' was the mantra he repeated over and over to himself. He concentrated on the Hummer as much as possible. From the burn pattern, it looked like they'd ignited the gas tank after covering most of vehicle in an accelerant.

Natalia determinedly kept her back to the remains of the Hummer. Any thoughts about becoming a full-time CSI were rapidly going out the window. It had to be glaringly apparent that she couldn't handle the crime scene. How in the world did Eric and Horatio remain so calm? Concentrating on the perimeter, she was beginning to grow more frustrated by the minute. It was obvious from the amount of trace that this was the primary crime scene but most of the biologicals were unusable. Someone had poured bleach throughout the scene, contaminating the evidence she'd found so far. Diligently, she continued her search. No one could be that perfect. They couldn't have ruined everything.

Everyone stopped when the ME's van showed up. Alexx ignored them all as she got out, making a beeline for Horatio. Stopping alongside, she lifted her sunglasses up and looked at him carefully, "Horatio?"

There was a wealth of questions in that one word and Horatio heard every one of them. He chose to answer the easiest one first, "No one's touched the body yet, we've been waiting for you." He put out a hand as Alexx nodded and turned towards the Hummer, "Identification will have to be by DNA."

Alexx raised an eyebrow as she exhaled slowly, "You don't think it's her."

He dropped his chin down, "I'm praying."

Alexx nodded again and made her way to the Hummer. Horatio went with her and helped pry open the door. Then he turned and went back to stand with Eric. Natalia had drifted over to where Frank was standing and the four waited silently. Alexx stood for a moment, looking at the corpse. Horatio had been right, there wasn't much left. Resolutely, she began to examine what she could. From the position, it was obvious the body had been slumped sideways before the fire started, so the victim - not Calleigh, she told herself firmly, God couldn't be that cruel - had already either been unconscious or dead. It was awkward as hell trying to maneuver inside the Hummer, they would have to remove the body before she could get a good look.

Alexx backed out and motioned for her assistants. She supervised the removal, in part, because it was tricky getting the corpse out without any additional damage but mostly because she wasn't ready to deal with the anxious knot of people waiting nearby. Her guys were good. It didn't take long before they had the body out and on a stretcher. Alexx couldn't bring herself to give them her usual thanks. She was staring at the right side of the body that had been pressed against the back of the seat. Protected from the fire and only slightly scorched were a familiar holstered pistol and badge. Slowly she knelt down and lightly traced the items with her fingertips before removing them carefully. Blinking rapidly a couple of times, Alexx let her eyes move up the body. When she reached the neck, her breath hitched. There, blackened and sunk into what was left of the flesh was an all-too-familiar necklace. Alexx remembered seeing it just this morning.

Her eyes moved involuntarily to the face. It really wasn't a face anymore. All the features were burnt and shriveled, with random portions of skull showing through. Alexx froze, the sorrow she'd been feeling suddenly consumed by a white-hot anger. In the middle of the forehead, just above the eyes, was a nice, neat bullet hole. Someone had executed one of her dearest friends.

Friday,

6:20 pm

Ryan caught up with everyone in Layout. Natalia noted that he looked the way she felt, devastated and slightly green around gills. Someone had blabbed out of the ME's office and word had raced through the lab like wildfire. Calleigh Duquesne was dead, shot to death in her Hummer and burned nearly beyond recognition. She still didn't know how Horatio and Eric were holding it together, all she wanted to do was cry. Scratch that, she wanted to cry, but she also wanted to inflict serious damage on the people responsible for killing her friend and colleague. Ryan's voice brought her back to the moment.

"Horatio? Is it true?" Ryan stood there with his arms tightly folded, like he could ward off the bad news.

"We don't know, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio looked away for a few seconds. "We're waiting on DNA samples from Alexx." He swept the group with a laser glare, the barest hint of anger showing, "Until we have definitive proof, Calleigh is missing, not dead. Are we clear?" He waited until they nodded, "Good. Now, walk me through the day. I want to know how the hell this happened."

The three CSIs exchanged looks. Horatio's last statement had been positive proof of how badly he was shaken. Natalia glanced at the other two and then started, "We got the callout for a murder on the outskirts of Little Havana late this morning. Hector Garcia had been shot to death and when we got there, we found he was a one-man crime wave. Detectives outside of Homicide were showing up and jurisdiction issues were appearing. I called Calleigh and asked if she could help get the scene processed faster. She arrived a little before 11:00."

"And left by 11:30," Wolfe added, remembering how annoyed he'd been at the time. She'd barely helped at all and then disappeared without a word.

"Alone? And she didn't say anything?" Horatio questioned sharply. When Ryan nodded, he raised an eyebrow, "Didn't that strike you as odd?"

"I... uh...," Ryan kept his gaze away from Delko, knowing the Cuban was seething. "No," he finally said lamely. He hastened to explain at a look from Horatio, "I... um... I thought I knew where she was going and I didn't want to get her in trouble."

"Jake Berkeley." Horatio said softly. Wolfe nodded miserably. Horatio looked at the three again, "Detective Berkeley was in court all day. Tell me the rest of the sequence."

Natalia tried not to flinch at the iciness in Horatio's voice. He'd never addressed his team this way before as far as she knew. She cleared her throat, "Well, Ryan and I finished processing, came back to the lab and started going over the evidence. Eric came in looking for Calleigh around 2:30 or so. Her cellphone was going to voicemail." She didn't look at Ryan or Delko, "Eric and I went to A/V and had Cooper track the phone's GPS. We got a location and went to check it out. We found the phone but not Calleigh and that's when Eric called you."

"Okay," Horatio looked away with a short, sharp shake of his head. Dammit, this was ultimately his fault for pulling away from Calleigh and the rest of the team. It'd had gotten progressively easier to shut himself off after Marisol's murder. Calleigh had tried breaching his defenses a couple of times but he'd held firm. After Rio, he had a feeling she was getting exasperated but he still couldn't find it within himself to return to how it had been. He'd even gone so far as to limit his contact with Calleigh after she'd inexplicably blown up at him. All he'd done was talk to her about the incident with Kornspan. Granted, she'd been wearing a vest and, luckily, it had caught the round Kornspan fired, but he'd still felt a reprimand was in order. Going to the docks without proper backup had been against protocol as well as stupid. She'd had taken it quietly enough until he'd brought up the obvious dangers in taking unnecessary risks. At that point, Calleigh had gotten surprisingly angry and accused him of the very same thing. He'd tried pointing out the difference, and then Wolfe had interrupted them. Rather than continue what was rapidly devolving into a fight, Horatio had returned to his office. It had been obvious to him that Calleigh hadn't been in a reasonable frame of mind. "Okay." He swung back to stare at his team, "Where are we on the evidence?"

"Nowhere," Eric's tone was flat as he finally spoke up. He felt completely drained. Calleigh was dead, just like Marisol. It was monumentally unfair. "The hooker is sticking to her story that she found Calleigh's phone and now she wants a lawyer. There's no sign that Cal was ever at the motel but we haven't finished analyzing all the evidence. Most of the biologicals at the 'Glades scene are unusable." He glanced over at Natalia and then looked away, "There was a small amount of vomit. Valera rushed the DNA, it was from Calleigh. We can't tell about the blood pools. Someone poured bleach all over them."

Horatio stared at his brother-in-law, something breaking through the white noise that had filled his head from the moment he saw the body, "Why?"

Eric glanced at the others for a moment and then looked back at Horatio, "What?"

"Why?" Horatio repeated. "These people snatch a cop, supposedly murder her and torch the vehicle in a secluded area. She's still wearing her badge and service weapon but they take the time to contaminate the blood pools and spatter. Why?"

"They're covering their tracks," Ryan offered.

"But they didn't," Natalia interjected, glancing around, "At least, not literally. I've got a half a dozen of clear boot prints and tire tracks from three vehicles other than the Hummer. One's got a pretty good oil leak."

"Could you tell where they were headed?" Eric questioned, knowing how minute the chances were of telling that. Horatio was right, things weren't making sense. Had they gone into the Glades? There would be no reason unless they were trying to hide something. Was there a possibility? He desperately wanted to believe that Calleigh might still be alive but he wasn't sure if that was affecting his evaluation of the evidence. It was hard to think straight. The last time he was this angry had been when Mari was killed, only this time, he was mad at himself. Dammit all, he'd been a fool. Calleigh had tried talking to him a couple of times over the past year but he hadn't bothered to listen - not quite ready to go beyond friendship again. Now he might never get the chance.

Natalia shook her head in frustration, "I followed the tracks as far as I could. Two were going towards the 'Glades but in different directions. There's no telling where they were headed. I guess they could meet up again later. Aaron is checking the tread marks and wheelbases to see if he can narrow down a make and model. From the width, they have to be pickups or SUVs."

Horatio was frowning, "It's still not making sense." He looked at the others, "Why was her service weapon there at all? Who kidnaps a police officer and lets them keep their sidearm?"

"They dressed the scene after they killed her." Ryan said slowly.

Horatio nodded, "To mislead us." He let his gaze drop to the floor, "DNA from the body will tell us about what."

Friday,

7: 25 pm

Alexx leaned against the counter, contemplating her shoes and trying not to sigh - again. She'd hand-walked the DNA samples over from Autopsy and now they were waiting for the results to spit out from the printer. She knew her presence was making Valera uncomfortable but, at this point, really didn't care. The autopsy she'd just performed had been as bad as the one she'd done on Tim Speedle and she'd needed to get away. The position of the body hadn't only protected Calleigh's gun and badge, there'd also been a few wisps of blonde hair still attached to the scalp. Alexx had almost lost it then and there. The body had been too badly damaged to determine if there'd been any sexual assault. She devoutly hoped not but they'd probably never know for sure.

Alexx glared at the printer again, willing it to spit out the results and end this agony one way or the other. She wiped at her face. Bad as it would be for the rest of them, it would be worse for Eric and Horatio. If this was Calleigh, it would kill them both. They'd lost too much this year. Alexx had been leery about Horatio's marriage to Marisol although she'd been discreet about it. Eric's feelings on the matter were known to much of the lab and she really couldn't blame him. The whole romance reeked of desperation - Marisol to have some sort of life before the cancer killed her and Horatio's tendency to play the knight in shining armor. She knew there was love involved, too. Horatio wasn't that shallow and Marisol was a beautiful person, inside and out, and easy enough to love. Then the Mala Noche had appeared and violently ripped that bit of happiness away, killing Marisol. For the first time since she'd known him, Horatio had gone a little crazy. He and Eric caught the man responsible (and everyone at the lab from Calleigh on down had been particularly tight-lipped about their methods) only to have the Feds make a deal that let the guy walk.

That had led to the insanity of the Rio trip. Calleigh was probably the only person who could have talked either one of them out of it and she wouldn't do it. That she was worried became obvious when Alexx learned she had A/V keeping tabs on Eric and Horatio's phones 24/7 with orders to contact her if anything untoward happened. In the meantime, she'd stepped into the leadership of the lab with her usual efficiency and grace. It was a good fit. Calleigh was already well-known and well-liked and had a reputation for being level-headed and fair. With all the upheaval in the lab, it was something everyone needed. She didn't disappoint.

Suddenly the printer beeped and began spitting out pages. Alexx's head shot up and she looked from the printer to Valera. The DNA tech was staring wide-eyed right back at her. Valera put her hands up as she shook her head, "It's all yours."

Alexx frowned, slightly exasperated with both Valera and herself. This was why she'd camped out in DNA in the first place, wasn't it? Slowly, she walked to the printer and took a deep breath. Plucking the sheets out, she blinked a couple of times trying to focus and realized her hands were shaking too hard to make out the words. Muttering angrily, she turned around and slapped the pages on the table, smoothing them out before beginning to read. A roaring filled her ears and she braced herself on the table as she let her head hang down.

Valera stepped forward in alarm, "Oh god, it is Calleigh, isn't it? Oh god... "

Alexx shook her head, wiping at her eyes, "It's not. Merciful God, it's not her." She finally managed a smile at the younger woman, "It's not Calleigh."

Valera sagged against a table in relief, smiling widely, "I was so afraid..." She straightened up slightly, "You need to tell Horatio. He's over in Layout with Eric and the rest of the team."

Alexx nodded, scooping up the sheets, "On my way. Thanks, Maxine." She left at a brisk walk knowing the rest of the lab would soon be buzzing. DNA was a well-known pipeline for information. She stopped in the doorway of Layout and all conversation inside ceased as four sets of eyes stared at her intently. Letting herself relax against the doorjamb, she smiled, "It's not Calleigh." Her smile grew wider as Natalia spontaneously gave Ryan a hug and Eric stepped forward to claim one from her. Horatio dropped his head as his shoulders relaxed.

When he finally looked up, everyone focused their attention on him, "So, now," He tilted his head slightly, "Now, we have to find her."


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to all who are enjoying this story so far. I've enjoyed reading your comments and thoughts. (Hi Robyn! )

Chapter 3

7 hours earlier,

Friday,

11:30 am

"Excuse me."

Calleigh turned around to see a dark-haired man looking at her. A quick glance at the shield clipped to his belt confirmed that he was yet another detective. There had to be nearly a half dozen of them floating around the scene and she'd only recognized a couple. Normally, the CSIs only dealt with one or two at a time but the Garcia scene warranted a few extra. Hector Garcia had been a busy and productive man, as witnessed by the no less than six computers he had running. Unfortunately, most of his dealings seemed to have been illegal. Someone had taken offense and put a bullet in his head. They'd also taken the time to put a bullet in each of the six monitor screens. If they were hoping to cripple his wide-flung operation then they were definitely computer illiterate. None of the CPUs had been damaged. Calleigh was beginning to wonder if the point had been to draw attention to the info the computers contained.

She smiled politely, "Yes?"

He ran a hand through his hair, looking a bit sheepish, "Detective Ross, ma'am. I know you're busy but could you help me out? I've found a witness but she's pretty shaken and I thought maybe another woman might be able to calm her down enough to find out what happened."

Calleigh glanced over to where Ryan and Natalia were busily processing the scene. Alexx had already collected the body. She could probably spare a few minutes, especially if it helped solve their case. She nodded to the detective, "Sure, where is she?"

He gestured outside, "Out by my car. I thought getting her away from here would help."

She glanced at her colleagues one more time and then gave Ross another smile, "Lead the way."

They left the house and the detective waved a hand towards the Hummers, "I'm behind you guys." Calleigh nodded as they walked across the lawn and began threading their way through all the vehicles.

They cleared the Hummers and Calleigh stopped. There were only a few cars parked beyond and no people that she could see. She started to turn and ask Ross where his witness was when the unmistakable feel of a gun barrel pressed against her back. She exhaled slowly, making sure the hand not carrying her kit stayed away from her side, "What's going on?"

Calleigh tried not to flinch as Ross stepped closer, the barrel digging in deeper, close to her spine. "You have a meeting to attend and I've been hired to take you to it."

"Most people would have just called." Calleigh's mind was racing as she considered her options. There weren't many. They were effectively isolated from view by the sheer bulk of the Hummers.

Ross chuckled, "I think I like you already." Calleigh stiffened at the sound of the hammer being pulled back. "That's right," Ross said softly, "This has a pretty light trigger so don't even breathe." He reached across, unsnapped her holster and pulled her pistol free. Stuffing it in his coat pocket, he released the hammer of his weapon carefully. Grabbing a handful of shirt from the back, he physically turned her towards the Hummers, "Let's go, you're driving." He leaned in a little, "And before you consider doing something stupid, you should know that I'm not alone. Grenades are messy things. Your colleagues wouldn't know what hit them."

Calleigh walked slowly to her Hummer, prodded now and again by the pistol at her back. There was no way to tell if Ross was lying about having accomplices and she wasn't willing to risk Ryan or Natalia's lives by challenging the man. He hadn't killed her outright and it would have been easy enough, so that was something. Whatever this meeting was, it was obvious she was supposed to be alive. On the other hand, was she supposed to be undamaged as well? Somehow, Calleigh didn't think anyone would care if she was in less than pristine condition when she arrived. With the threat to Ryan and Natalia, however, there wasn't anything she could do except make sure she left the scene without any trouble. After that, she'd keep her eyes open for any opportunity.

They climbed in from the passenger side after putting her kit in the back. He waited until she was settled in the driver's seat before sliding the passenger seat far enough back so that he could crouch on the floor and not be seen. He braced an elbow on the seat and cocked the hammer back once more, smiling at the look on her face, "That's right. I would suggest a nice smooth ride, no sudden stops or starts."

Calleigh nodded and pulled the big vehicle out of line, starting slowly up the street. She caught a quick glimpse of Ryan standing on the front porch, watching her leave but didn't dare turn her head. There'd also been a police officer standing right behind him, she couldn't take the chance. She could only hope that he would consider it odd that she'd left without saying anything and alert Horatio. Once they'd driven a couple of blocks, Ross climbed back onto the seat after releasing the hammer again. Calleigh breathed a silent sigh of relief. Getting shot accidentally was no longer a worry although being deliberately shot was still a real possibility. She followed her abductor's directions for next 20 minutes. Either he was intimately familiar with the area or he'd done his homework. He kept them to neighborhood streets where the speed was necessarily slow. There would be no chance to deliberately crash the Hummer. It would barely make a dent.

Finally, he had her pull into the parking lot of a small abandoned factory complex. Stopping between two buildings, Calleigh tensed. There wasn't anyone else in sight. She took a breath to steady herself and looked over at Ross, "This is the meeting?"

He smiled at her, "No, more like the prep. I drive from now on." He opened the passenger door and gestured with the gun, "Come on, follow me out." Reluctantly, she did as she was told. He could just as easily shoot her inside the Hummer as he could outside it. Calleigh had just stepped onto the pavement when he grabbed her by the arm and swung her face first into the side of the Hummer. She barely managed to hear 'sorry' before his gun barrel connected with the back of her head. Landing in a heap on the pavement, Calleigh desperately clung to a thin thread of consciousness. She felt him pull her over on her back where the tugs at her waist told her he was taking her holster and badge. Similar tugs on the other side meant he'd taken her cellphone and pager, too. Her confusion grew as he then removed her watch and necklace. Finally, he flipped her over again and she felt him cuff her wrists. When he hauled her upright, the sudden change in height was too much for her head and she passed out completely.

She came to in the backseat, feeling somewhat nauseous. Lying face first in a moving vehicle with her hands cuffed behind her wasn't helping and she twisted until she was on her side.

"Oh good, you're awake. I was afraid I might have hit you too hard."

Calleigh focused with difficulty on the rearview mirror and saw him watching her. Swallowing heavily, she managed to speak on the second try, "Does it matter?"

She could see him smiling, "Of course it does. You're supposed to be reasonably coherent when I deliver you." He waved a hand, "Try to rest, we've got a little ways to go yet." It was the most ludicrous thing she'd heard in a while and yet, there was nothing else she could do. Calleigh closed her eyes. Surprising herself, she must have actually dozed off because the Hummer coming to a stop jerked her back to wakefulness. A feeling of dread washed over her, this was it - whatever it was.

"We're here." Was that a note of regret in Ross' voice? Not a good sign. Loud, raucous voices approached, more than one - it was definitely getting worse by the moment. The door suddenly opened and while she was blinking at the change of light, hands grabbed her and roughly dragged her out of the Hummer. Going from prone to upright so quickly brought the dizziness back with a vengeance. She didn't think she could stand yet but never got the chance to test the theory. A pair of hands had each arm and carried/dragged her to wherever they were going. With her head down, all she saw was a confusing blur of pavement and feet. A small irreverent part of her mind noted they were all wearing boots but hers looked considerably better.

When they stopped, she was grateful for the support. It would have been hard to project any sort of convincing defiance while looking up from the ground. Another pair of feet came into her field of vision and she saw with satisfaction that her boots still had everyone beat in the looks department.

"Well, well, well, Calleigh Duquesne, as I live and breathe. Been a long time, hasn't it, girl?"

It took some concentration but she raised her eyes to look at the man in front of her. Deciding his feet were more interesting, she let her head drop back down without saying anything.

The feet suddenly moved closer and a hand grabbed her hair and yanked her head up. "Don't you remember me?" the man all but snarled.

Calleigh bit back a groan. For some reason, she felt it was important not to react to this idiot. She blinked several times trying to bring things back into focus and then squinted at the man for a few seconds before carefully shaking her head. Loud, infectious laughter from the side had her smiling a bit, too. One person, it seemed, was having a good time.

The man let go of her as he whipped his head to the side, "Shut up, damn you! This ain't funny!"

"Are you kidding? This is funny as hell. Your big, bad revenge and she doesn't know you from spit." Calleigh recognized the voice as that of her abductor, Detective Ross.

"Shut up!" A hand grabbed her chin, forcing her head up. She wished they'd be a little more careful. The sudden moves were making her nauseous again. "Look at me, bitch! Don't you know who I am?" He was all but spitting with rage. Calleigh decided when she finally puked, she was aiming right for this guy. His fingers were digging painfully into the sides of her jaw. She didn't think she could get a word out even if she knew what to say.

Ross seemed to recognize this, his voice sounded closer, "You know, if you let go of her chin, she might be able to talk."

The man's hand tightened a little more and then he shoved her head away. That was all it took. Her stomach had enough. Bouncing off one of the men holding her, she rebounded forward and spewed. Swearing in surprise, the men holding her let go and she dropped to her knees, wincing at the impact. Dimly, she heard a spate of obscenity that was truly impressive and felt a faint sense of satisfaction. Her aim hadn't been half-bad.

Calleigh stayed upright out of sheer stubbornness, slumped back on her heels. No way would she give them the satisfaction of collapsing altogether. Gradually, she became aware of an argument going on above her. She kept her head down and her eyes closed even though she was beginning to feel marginally better. There was no need for her captors to know. What the hell was going on, anyway? Who were these guys? With an effort, she focused on the two men.

"Look man, I'm not doing anything else. You wanted her, there she is, that was the deal. Just give me the rest of my money so I can get the hell out of here!"

"You goddamn wuss! If you want the rest of your money, then you'll do whatever the hell I say!"

So it was Ross and the loudmouth jerk having words. She almost hoped the jerk won and Ross stayed. The detective was probably more dangerous but he also seemed more rational. When Horatio and Frank caught up with these guys, Ross would be smart enough to negotiate. At any rate, the longer they argued and ignored her, the more time she had to recuperate. Calleigh continued to listen.

"Are you nuts? Just give me my money! You're messing with one of Horatio Caine's people and he'll hunt you down like a damn dog when he figures out you've got her. I'm only the delivery guy and that's all I'm gonna do."

"Jesus H Christ, you damn city boys are all alike. Talk big, then cut and run." The jerk's voice got quieter, making it harder for Calleigh to hear. "You think we're a bunch of dumb hicks, don't you? Well, I got a news flash for you. This Caine guy you're so worried about is gonna be chasing his own tail. I had sixteen damn years to figure everything out. Yo, Budge! Bring her out here!"

Calleigh stiffened. Oh hell, they'd grabbed someone else? What were they doing? It didn't take long before she heard shuffling footsteps. Taking a chance that no one was paying much attention to her, she turned her head a little and cracked open an eye. It was all she could do to control her reaction. An over-sized, dark-haired man was walking a woman towards the jerk and Ross. She looked and acted like a working girl but what scared Calleigh was that she was also petite and blonde. This couldn't be good.

The boot that slammed into her shoulder caught her completely by surprise, knocking her over backwards. The force of it twisted Calleigh to the side and kept her head from contacting the pavement but that relief was short-lived. The next blow was to her midsection, driving the air out of her lungs. Gasping, she curled in on herself, trying to protect her ribs. Pairs of hands grabbed her arms again and pulled her off the ground and then a large hand wrapped around her throat and forced her head back. Tightening his grip until she was struggling for every breath, the jerk got in her face, his voice dripping with venom, "Maybe you don't remember me but I remember you. Me and my brothers been waiting a long time for this." He leaned in closer, his hand tightening more and cutting off her air, "The name's Burrus, you bitch." When she passed out, he let go and snapped, "Get her in the truck."

Ross watched them drag the now limp CSI to one of the old, beat-up pickup trucks and heave her unceremoniously onto the bed. The larger of the two climbed up as well and used his foot to shove her towards the cab. The other shook out a tarp and threw it in, covering the blonde. Ross shook his head slightly. At least they hadn't taken the opportunity to beat on her some more. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what she might have done to earn this sort of retaliation. Duquesne wasn't that old. If Burrus had been in prison for sixteen years then she had to have been a kid when he went away. Mentally shrugging, he turned to Burrus again with his more immediate concern, "Give me my damn money."

Milo Burrus eyed the other man and smiled unpleasantly, "Get rid of the cellphone first and then you get your money."

"That wasn't the deal!" Ross' hand automatically started towards his pistol. There was a sudden loud bang and he looked down stupidly at the rapidly spreading red stain across his chest. Dragging his eyes up, he gazed at Burrus in mute surprise and collapsed.

Burrus stared at the body for a moment before nudging it with his foot. Grunting to himself, he bent down and searched the dead man, coming up with the pistol and a wallet. He then glared at Budge who was still holding onto the whore. She was rapidly becoming hysterical. "Shut her up," he commanded ferociously before turning his attention to his cousin, Enos, who still had his gun extended. Walking over to him, Burrus yanked the pistol away and then drove a fist into the younger man's jaw. Standing over Enos, he leaned down and snarled, "You damn jackass! That bullet nearly hit me! Watch where the hell you're aiming!"

He nodded at Enos' mumbled apology and then dropped Calleigh's cellphone on top of his cousin, "Now you get to get rid of the phone." Opening Ross' wallet, he pulled out four twenties and stuffed them in Enos' hand, "Don't screw this up. Find a hooker, give her the phone and the cash. Tell her to pick up a John and take him to the Rainbow's End Motel on 56th for a couple of hours and to check in under Duquesne's name. Let her know the cops will be showing up and she just has to say she found the phone. If she stays with that, they can't touch her." Milo leaned in, "Make sure you let her know what'll happen if she gives you up, you hear? Once the cops haul her off, you can leave. Don't let 'em see you. You got that?"

Enos nodded vigorously and Burrus smiled, reaching down and hauling his cousin to his feet, "Good. Meet us at the camp later and I'll let you have a couple of extra turns at Duquesne, alright?"

With a grin, Enos nodded again and then turned and trotted off.

Burrus turned around in time to see his brother's fist connect with the side of the whore's face. She went down like a sack of potatoes. Budge looked over and shrugged, "She wouldn't shut up."

Milo waved a hand, "No matter, makes it easier." He walked over, pulling out Ross' pistol. Placing the muzzle against the woman's forehead, he calmly pulled the trigger. The two men stood for a moment, watching the blood pool expand behind her head. Burrus turned to his other brother still standing by the truck that held Calleigh, "Get those bottles of bleach out and bring 'em over here."

Budge started over to the Hummer, "I'll get Duquesne's stuff."

It took more than an hour before Burrus was satisfied. Ross' body was stashed in the other truck. In another hour or so, he'd be a snack for some gator. At the same time, Duquesne would be well on her way to their camp in the 'Glades. Milo had poured bleach on every drop of blood he could find, the hooker was in position and the Hummer was primed to explode. When the cops showed up, they'd get a real shock and not much to go on. It should take them hours to figure out they'd been had. If he was lucky, they wouldn't figure it out until tomorrow. By then, he and his kin would be at their camp. No one would leave until they'd finished what they'd planned. The cops would have no way to find them. It was perfect.

He'd put his time in prison to good use. Enos had kept him up to date on the various people who'd screwed him over and gotten him stuck in jail. Almost two weeks ago, retired Sheriff Jack Tolley had been the unfortunate victim of a carjacking. Enos had taken care of it for him while he made sure he and his brothers had airtight alibis. Calleigh Duquesne had been the next on his list. When he learned that that lying little slut had joined the police department and then become a crime scene investigator, he'd been pissed. Did that uppity bitch really think she could just ruin his life and move on to better things? He'd decided to beat the cops at their own game and pay her back at the same time. Burrus had spent a lot of time questioning other cons about how they'd gotten caught and what they would have done differently. He now knew the best ways to mess up evidence and laying a false trail was child's play to a backwoodsman like himself. The next couple of days would be a good start on sixteen years' worth of revenge.

Walking over to where his brothers were waiting, Milo slapped Ray Don on the shoulder and grinned, "Wanna to do the honors?"

Ray Don grinned back, "Hell, yeah."

Burrus laughed and tossed a lighter to his brother, "Go for it." He and Budge watched as Ray Don lit the gasoline-soaked rag that was stuffed in the gas tank and ran back. It didn't take long before the Hummer was engulfed in flames. A minute or so later, the fuel tank exploded making the three men duck. Milo straightened up, grinning, "That oughtta do it." He looked at his brothers, "You boys take Duquesne to the camp and get her strung up." He shook a finger at them, mock-sternly, "You can play with her a bit but just remember I'm first. Don't use nothing that's gonna tear her up too badly. After I'm done, you two can figure out who gets her next." He thought for a moment and added, "Don't overdo it either. I promised Enos a couple of turns when he gets back to camp and he won't like it much if she's hanging there like a damn corpse this early on. We got time, we'll keep her revved with the speed later. I wanna make sure she's awake for every damn minute of this." Budge cleared his throat and Milo tried not to roll his eyes. Dammit, they'd been over this and over this. Did he have to spell everything out? "What?"

Budge waved his hand around, "Well, you been real careful about messin' up the evidence here. When the cops find her, ain't they gonna be able to tell... uh, well, you know... who was in there?"

Milo took a breath and let it out slowly. He put a hand on Budge's shoulder, "We still got a bottle of bleach left, don't we?" He laughed when Budge nodded, "Well, then, we make sure she's squeaky clean inside and out when we leave. Okay? Good." He gave his brother a friendly swat and turned towards the truck holding Ross, "Get going. I'll see you in a couple of hours."


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to everyone who reviewed - you've all been exceptionally nice and I appreciate it. On with the story...

Chapter 4

Friday,

4:00 pm

Calleigh's eyes flew open as the truck shifted and sagged. Someone had climbed onto the bed. Resolutely, she closed her eyes again. If she was to have any chance in hell, she needed to convince whoever this was that she was still out of it. The tarp was pulled back and a hand roughly grabbed her chin and pulled her around so he could see her face. Calleigh stayed limp but didn't bother suppressing a groan. Her head still hurt and his hand reeked of ammonia and gasoline. She'd heard the explosion, it didn't take a genius to figure out that they'd torched the Hummer. She blinked a couple of times and then let her eyes roll back in her head. He let go of her shortly afterward and the tarp covered her again. The truck sagged and bounced as he moved to the side and climbed down. Calleigh felt a surge of relief when she heard him say, "We're good. She's not going anywhere unless we drag her."

The truck rumbled to life and started to move. Calleigh's relief turned to trepidation. It sounded like there were only two of them right now. If she was going to escape, these were the best odds she would get. Somehow, she needed to get out of the truck without being seen or breaking her neck. It definitely wasn't going to happen with her hands cuffed behind her. At best, she needed to get a hand loose; at worst, she had to have her hands in front of her. She'd been working off and on trying to free herself since she'd regained consciousness. It was a good thing they hadn't rolled her over. The handcuffs were slick with blood but she wasn't any closer to sliding out of them. Now that there wouldn't be any surprise checks, it was time to see how flexible she was.

It was stifling hot under the tarp but that was actually a plus, it'd kept her from stiffening up. She'd also been taking time to rest and regain what strength she could. She knew she was going to need it. Burrus had been the last name she'd expected to hear, taking her back to time she'd rather forget. Milo, Charles Henry 'Budge' and Ray Don Burrus had been hellraisers and bullies back in Darnell while she was growing up. Milo, the oldest and leader, had scared the hell out of most of the residents. Sheriff Jack Tolley had been frustrated in his efforts to stop the trio. Despite everything the Burrus brothers had done, no one would come forward. It was common knowledge that crossing the brothers was a good way to earn a midnight trip into the woods for a horrific beating or to have a barn burn down or have pets and livestock slaughtered. One or two had chanced it and barely survived to change their stories.

Calleigh might have never crossed paths with the Burruses if they hadn't gone after Maudie and Rad Ashby. The Ashbys had been an unofficial refuge for her and her brothers for years. A retired couple, they ran a little general store about a half mile from her home. There was a small apartment in back where they lived. Although, they'd never had any of their own, the Ashbys were fond of children and had become honorary grandparents for a lot of the kids in the neighborhood.

They'd taken a special liking to her and her brothers. As an adult, she now realized they must have known about her deteriorating home life but, at the time, she just knew that they were always extra nice. Miz Maudie always had something simmering on the stove or just coming out of the oven when they appeared after school and Mr. Rad, when he discovered her insatiable need for knowledge, always had the most interesting books to lend her. He had to have had the most eclectic library in the entire South.

The first time she'd shown up on their doorstep after dark with her brothers in tow, had been when she was eleven. It was a damp and rainy January night and camping was out of the question. The Ashbys had taken them in without any questions although Miz Maudie had fussed a bit about them catching their death being out in the weather. Hot cocoa appeared and sleeping bags were spread out at the back of the store. Calleigh thanked them profusely and was gone before first light, all evidence of their presence neatly packed away. It became part of her routine, one she was careful never to abuse. The Ashbys were the last resort when the weather and her parents' drinking conspired against her.

As she grew older, it was Miz Maudie who taught her the finer points of Southern decorum and how to hold her own in the deadly afternoon teas she was oftentimes forced to attend. Mr. Rad had an easier time. Her dad, when he wasn't drunk out of his mind, was a loving father and doted on her. When he taught the boys to shoot, he happily included her over her mother's protests. If his little Lambchop wanted to learn, then by God, she'd have that chance. He was exceedingly proud when it turned out she had an aptitude for it, surpassing both her brothers. Mr. Rad continued her education. He was retired Army and knew a fair bit about shooting, letting her practice with pistols and shotgun as well as the hunting rifle her father used.

The more she learned, the more she wanted to know and Mr. Rad taught her about safety, etiquette and maintenance. She learned how to load her own ammo and could field-strip a weapon almost as fast as he could. Her mother would have been appalled if she'd known. Mr. Rad also talked to her about the difference between target shooting and live combat. He'd been in one of the only all black tank units during WWII and had seen fighting throughout Africa. She loved listening to his war stories, absorbing whatever bits and pieces of knowledge he tossed out. For a time, she'd considered enlisting out of high school but both Miz Maudie and Mr. Rad insisted that college was more important. If she was still set on joining, she could go in as an officer afterwards.

The day it happened had been one of the prettier spring days they'd had. Dogwoods, daffodils and tulips were out in all their glory, adding bright splashes of color to newly green lawns. She was on her way to the Ashbys with her brothers, Teej and Pie, tagging along. Teej's full name was Thomas Jefferson Delaney Duquesne, quite a mouthful for someone who'd also gotten the family lack-of-height genes. It had been mercifully shortened to TJ and then 'Teej'. Her youngest brother, Roger Earl Campbell Duquesne, had been called sugar or sweetie pie since the day he'd been born. At the age of five, he'd taken to liberating pies from windowsills. His crime spree culminated with a sweet potato pie from Miz Maudie and he'd managed to eat the whole thing before being caught. His fate was sealed. He'd been called Pie ever since. The three were almost to the store when Whizzer McKinney had come flying past. Teej snagged an arm and spun him around and poor Whizzer had been pasty-faced with fear. He'd only had to say one word to scare them all, 'Milo'.

To this day, the whole incident had a dreamlike quality to it. She'd sent her brothers and Whizzer to get Sheriff Jack while she hurried on to the Ashbys' place. Teej hadn't wanted to leave her but she overrode his protests telling him it was more important to get the Sheriff as quickly as possible and he was the fastest runner of all of them. When she reached the store, she entered cautiously, all senses on full alert. It was unnaturally quiet and the hair on the back of her neck had stood up. Silently, Calleigh had made her way to the checkout counter. She'd opened a narrow drawer tucked under the display case and pulled out Mr. Rad's shotgun. It was a single-barrel, pump action and after checking to see that it was loaded, she carefully chambered a round. It was only birdshot but it would have to do.

The apartment was empty and with an increasing feeling of dread, she left the store and circled around the perimeter towards the storage sheds in the back. The scene she came across kept her up for months afterwards. Mr. Rad was in an unmoving heap on the ground, near Budge and Ray Don Burrus. Milo was crouched over Miz Maudie and even to her inexperienced eye, it was damned obvious what he was doing. The shotgun came up of its own accord and she'd snarled at Milo to get away from the old woman. She still remembered his response.

Milo had turned slowly around and then laughed at the little blonde clutching the shotgun. Smugly, he'd told her to go back to her dolls before she hurt herself. This wasn't any of her business. Calleigh had lifted the barrel slightly and pulled the trigger, sending a blast over his head. She hadn't lifted it much and a stray pellet or two hit Milo as she'd hoped. She knew about shot patterns. He yelled in pain and rage and she quickly chambered another round, aiming directly at Budge and Ray Don who'd each taken a step forward. Slowly, they raised their hands and backed up and the barrel tracked back to Milo, this time pointing squarely between his eyes. In a voice so cold she barely recognized herself, she told him to step away or she'd blow his damn head clean off.

Hand clutching bloody pellet wounds, Milo let loose with a stream of profanity but he also did as he was told, moving to stand with his brothers. That was the tableau Sheriff Jack came upon a few moments later. If he was surprised at who had finally stopped the Burrus brothers, he never let on. They were quickly cuffed and led away and then he'd gently removed the shotgun from her hands. She could tell by the sirens that rescue was only seconds away. She'd also known it was too late for Rad Ashby.

The truck tilted and bounced roughly, jolting Calleigh out of her memories. She slid into the wall of the cab and then grunted in pain when the bed of the truck disappeared then reappeared quickly underneath, slamming into her and jarring her sore head. She heard Budge yelling at Ray Don to slow down before he killed them and heartily seconded the idea. It was obvious the road or track or whatever the hell they were on was getting worse. The growing smell of decaying vegetation told her they were heading deeper into the 'Glades and the sun was on its downward trek. She'd have to escape soon. It'd been a struggle and her wrists were a mess but she'd managed to thread the needle and get her hands around to the front. Now she had to get out without being seen and survive the jump from a moving vehicle. She wouldn't get far if she broke a leg and she knew for a certainty that it wouldn't stop them from doing what she suspected they were planning. It would probably be better if the fall killed her outright.

Abruptly, the truck slowed, sliding Calleigh into the wall of the cab again. She heard Budge yelling about paying attention to the damn gator crossing the road and decided this was it. Yanking the tarp off, she slid to the passenger side wall, reached up and pulled herself over. The truck accelerated right at that moment, throwing her off-balance and she landed on her side instead of her feet. Momentum kept her rolling and she went down a slight embankment before a combination of water and bushes stopped her movement. Calleigh laid there for a long while, trying to get air back into her lungs and waiting for the nausea and dizziness to pass. She had an absolute mother of a headache. Her shoulder hurt like hell too but still moved, so she hadn't broken it. Nothing else seemed to be any more than bruised and she was grateful for that.

Slowly, she sat up and waited again for the world to stop spinning. She needed to get moving. When they discovered she was gone, they'd come looking and she knew how good they were at hunting. Once they picked up her trail, Milo would be relentless in his pursuit. Calleigh was counting on Horatio and Eric to find her first, she only needed to give them enough time. She'd lost hope with Owens and it had ultimately cost too much. She wouldn't make that mistake again. Calleigh was fairly certain Milo had faked her death using the prostitute to keep anyone from pursuing him; but, however cunning he'd been, he wouldn't be able to outsmart Horatio and the team for long.

Turning over, she crawled slowly up the embankment, making use of whatever brush was handy for cover. A quick look up and down the road told her she was alone for now. She sat up, looking around again. She also had no idea where she was. Calleigh squinted at the sun and decided knowing east from west was no help. Without reference points, she had a one in four chance of heading in the right direction and finding help quickly. She stayed away from the corollary that there was also a one in four chance she could be heading right back to the Burruses. For now, survival was movement and hoping to God the good guys ran across her first. Calleigh climbed to her feet and headed down the track the way they'd come. It was the path of least resistance for now until she felt a little steadier. She'd have to get off at some point and head cross-country if she was to have any hope of avoiding Milo and his brothers.

Friday,

7:50 pm

Horatio stood in his office, looking down at the lab. There was an undercurrent of urgency pervading the atmosphere. Calleigh was out there and they were going to find her. He turned away and went back to his desk to sit down. After that first flush of euphoria in finding that Calleigh wasn't dead, he'd been slowly overtaken by worry. Verifying that fact had consumed precious hours. They had absolutely no leads on who had her, why they took her or where to look. Frank and Natalia were reviewing her cases looking for any sort of a clue while Eric and Ryan went over what evidence they had with a fine tooth comb. The problem was that it was all taking time, too much in his opinion, and he was afraid that Calleigh didn't have a lot left.

Settling back in his chair, he closed his eyes for a moment as he rubbed his forehead. A tension headache was building. It was dark out now and he hated and feared the thought that she was out there in the hands of who knew who. A tap on his door had him looking that way and he was surprised and somewhat apprehensive to see Duke Duquesne standing there. They hadn't crossed paths very often since Owens. Horatio stood up and waved the older man in, "Mr. Duquesne."

"Lieutenant," Duke walked in and stood uneasily. He'd never been that comfortable around Caine although he knew his daughter thought the world of him. It'd been a shame that nothing had come of the relationship with Eric Delko. He knew Calleigh had been responsible for the break-up, she'd told him so herself, but he'd sort of hoped the young man would have tried again. Kenwall gave himself a bit of a shake, recognizing the mental rambling as the avoidance it was. He looked the Lieutenant in the eye and asked bluntly, "Where's my daughter?"

Horatio dropped his gaze to the desk and gestured towards a chair, "I think you should sit down."

Duke's face lost all color as he lowered himself unsteadily onto the seat, "Oh dear lord, she's not... there was nothing on the news... someone should have called... "

"Mr. Duquesne," Horatio interrupted gently, "I'm afraid, at this point, we just don't know. What we do know is that she left a crime scene at 11:30 am, apparently alone, and has been out of contact since." He looked down at his clasped hands, "We found her department Hummer abandoned and burned at a deserted warehouse complex several hours ago."

"Oh lord," Duke repeated as he rubbed the side of his jaw. "You don't know anything else?" When Horatio shook his head, Kenwall leaned back in the chair, one hand covering his eyes.

Horatio gave him a few moments and then leaned forward, "We will find her. I promise you that. Every police officer in the city is looking."

Duke nodded slowly, "Y'all don't have any idea who'd do this? That Owens fella, he's not... ?"

"No," Horatio said firmly, "Both Owens and WIley are safely in prison. We have people checking all of Calleigh's old cases, looking for suspects. This wasn't random, someone planned everything very carefully."

Kenwall frowned slightly. "Old cases," he murmured, half to himself.

Horatio's gaze sharpened, "Sir?"

Duke looked at the Lieutenant, "I don't know if this has anything to do with anything." He took a breath and leaned forward, "I got a call last week from a second cousin on my mama's side, AnnaLyn Louise Delacourt. Normally, I don't listen too closely. AnnaLyn's a wonderful lady but she does natter on about everything and nothing." He raised an eyebrow at the look on Horatio's face and held up a hand, "Sorry. Anyway, she mentioned that old Jack Tolley'd been shot a couple of days before during a carjacking."

Horatio shook his head, "And Jack Tolley is?"

"Jack Tolley was the sheriff in Darnell until he retired about five years back and moved to Shreveport. He's got some kin there."

"Mr. Duquesne," Horatio tried to rein in his exasperation. His headache was increasing by the minute and this wasn't helping.

"Now bear with me, Lieutenant," Duke said sternly. He stopped for a moment and ran both hands through his hair as he looked away. Taking a deep breath, he returned his gaze to Horatio. "Calleigh doesn't talk much about growing up, does she?" He waited while Caine shook his head, "I didn't think so. Well, that's not surprising. It wasn't much of a childhood and that was pretty much my fault." Duke sighed and looked down at the floor, "Calleigh doesn't know I know this. I tended to be... indisposed, quite a bit back then. Jack Tolley told me about it afterwards." He looked back up, "There was an older black couple, name of Ashbys, who lived down the way from us. Ran a little convenience store - you know, one of those Mom and Pop places where kids can hang out. Calleigh really took to them and they were fond of her and the boys. They spent a lot of time there. My wife didn't approve but I can't say I minded. Rad and Maudie Ashby were good, decent folk. I figured Calleigh and the boys wouldn't get in any trouble with those two watching."

"And... ," Horatio prompted when Duke stopped.

"And... one day the Burrus brothers showed their sorry faces. Milo, Charles Henry and Ray Don Burrus were miserable, nasty-mean sons of bitches. I imagine they still are. They terrorized a good many people in and around Darnell for years. Sheriff Tolley had a tough time trying to stop them. Nobody, and I mean nobody, would come forward about anything they did. The first ones that tried got beaten half to death and their property destroyed. Folks learned not to talk and Tolley could never make a case. When Calleigh was sixteen, the Burrus brothers went after the Ashbys. Beat Rad to death and raped Maudie. She never truly recovered, followed Rad less than a year later." Duke stopped again, gazing at his hands.

"Calleigh witnessed the attack?" Horatio asked softly, remembering his own circumstances.

Duke stared at him, torn between pride and sorrow, "Didn't just witness it, Lieutenant, she caught the bastards. Took Rad's shotgun out of its hiding place in the store, backed 'em off and held 'em 'til Tolley got there. Then she got up in court and put those three away for a good long while."

"But not for life," Horatio leaned back, trying to process what he'd just heard. It certainly explained a few things about Calleigh - like her passion for justice.

"Not for life, and now this thing's happened with Jack," Duke looked down and wiped at his eyes. "They're probably out by now. God help her if it's those three." He stayed that way for a bit, then cleared his throat and looked up again, his expression fierce, "You find my little girl, and if they've got her, you kill 'em - you hear? You'd be doing the world a favor." Kenwall climbed shakily to his feet, "They're country boys, Lieutenant. They'll be in the 'Glades."

Horatio rose with Duke and escorted him to the door. He ducked his head a bit, "Ahh, Mr. Duquesne... "

Kenwall held up a hand, "Don't worry, I'm not going to the bar. Nineteen months, twenty-three days sober and not planning to ruin it now. I want a clear head when you bring her home."

"We will," Horatio assured the older man. He watched as Duke left and then turned and headed to where Frank and Natalia were working, pulling out his cellphone at the same time. They looked up as he strode into the room. "We may have a lead."

The two listened intently as he repeated what Calleigh's father had said. Frank leaned back, "Damn. You really think it's them? It's a long time and a long way from Louisiana."

"It's all we've got." Horatio fidgeted with his cellphone, "I've notified the Parks Dept. to keep an eye out for Calleigh or anything else that might be suspicious."

Natalia turned towards her computer, "There should be something in the system on these Burrus guys." She tapped in a request and waited. Not too much later, she leaned forward, "Here we go... whoa, look at this." She pointed to the screen as the others moved in closer, "The oldest brother, Milo, was charged with first degree manslaughter and rape. The other brothers were only charged with assault and made bail while Milo was remanded." She read a little further, "Oh man, the two brothers were arrested again later and that was for attempted murder and witness intimidation. All three were convicted." She turned around and looked at Horatio with wide eyes, "Calleigh?"

Horatio nodded silently, realizing that Duke had glossed over quite a bit. He couldn't blame the man. This was disturbing enough and he was learning about it sixteen years after the fact.

Ryan ran a tired hand through his hair as he waited for the elevator doors to open. No one had said anything but he felt horribly responsible. If only he'd said something when he saw Calleigh leaving the scene, they might have found her by now. Ryan shook his head. Jake Berkeley was an irritating, arrogant ass, and he thought Calleigh must have lost her mind to even be nice to the guy, but he shouldn't have let that color his perceptions. He settled his shoulders as the doors opened and headed across the floor with a determined stride. Horatio had sent a good portion of the dayshift home. Without any leads, it was better to keep everyone rested. He, Eric and Natalia stayed on. Eric had told Horatio flat out that they'd go home when he did.

"Ryan!"

He turned at his name and frowned slightly at the receptionist who was holding up a phone, "Yeah, Claudia?"

"I've got a Deputy Mouse on line two. He's looking for Calleigh."

Ryan's eyebrows rose, "You're kidding, right? Deputy Mouse?"

She shrugged helplessly, "That's what it sounds like he's saying. His accent's thicker than Calleigh's. He's really very insistent."

"I'll take it." Ryan walked over and took the phone, nodding to Claudia to take it off hold, "Hello? This CSI Ryan Wolfe. May I help you?... She' s a colleague... No, she's not here, is there anything I can do?" Wolfe looked confused as he listened, "I'm afraid I don't understand. How does that affect Calleigh?" His eyes suddenly widened, "What? But when...? I see... yes... okay... could you fax those reports here?... Great, thanks. I'm going to hand you off to our receptionist, Claudia. She'll give you all the information you need." He nodded one more time, "Yeah, I'll have her call you." He handed the phone back to Claudia, "He's going to fax a file over, would you let me know when it's here? I'll be in Layout. And would you page Eric and Horatio and have them meet me there, too? I think we just got a break." He started to walk away and then looked over his shoulder and grinned, "Oh, and Claudia? His name is Miles but you're right, it does sound like Mouse when he says it."

Ryan reached Layout and saw with satisfaction that Eric was already there. Now he only needed Horatio. He walked in, "Hey, I think we... " He stopped when Natalia shushed him and scowled slightly, "What?"

Natalia gestured urgently towards Eric, "He's got Calleigh on the phone."


	5. Chapter 5

Hope everyone's enjoying this. Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 5

Earlier,

Friday,

6:20 pm

Milo slammed a hand onto the bed of the truck, "What the hell happened? Goddammit! All you had to was bring her here! How could you mess that up?"

Budge shrugged helplessly, "I don't know. She was in the back when we started. I swear, she couldn't even hold her head up. I checked her myself." He glanced at Ray Don, "The road was kinda rough, maybe she fell out."

"Fell out? Fell out! Are you kidding? How stupid are you?"

"Don't go calling me stupid." Budge's voice lowered dangerously. His nerves had been seriously frayed over this development and he was perfectly willing to work out his frustration by beating the hell out of someone. Ray Don had been his first choice but Milo would do.

Milo backed off, recognizing his brother's mood. Ordinarily he'd have welcomed a set-to. It always felt good pounding someone back into their place but now wasn't the time. He held up his hands and took a deep breath, "Alright, alright. Nobody's calling nobody nothing." He rubbed his jaw, thinking hard. Dammit to hell, trust his brothers to mess up a simple plan. He wanted to be safely holed up before the cops started looking. Taking one more deep breath to calm himself, he stared at the other two. He needed a clear head. Budge and Ray Don sure as hell weren't going to figure out how to fix this. Between the two of them, they barely managed one brain, but they knew how to follow orders and they were good in a fight. "Well, hell, maybe she got out on her own but she's still cuffed. She probably broke her damn neck."

"Or a leg," Ray Don looked a little happier now that it seemed Budge and Milo weren't going to get into it with each other.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be bad. We could still use her," Milo agreed. He looked around the camp and then squinted up at the sky, "Okay, we probably got an hour 'til dusk. We'll backtrack and see if we can pick her up. If she's moving at all, it won't be fast." He headed for his pickup truck, "Grab the rifles and come on. I'll call Enos and let him know to keep his eyes open on the way in."

Friday,

6:45 pm

Calleigh stayed motionless for a long moment, listening carefully, and then decided it was still safe. She reached forward and plucked another strand of watercress, doing her best to keep her feet dry for as long as possible. Her boots weren't meant for this type of hiking and she knew she'd eventually be wading through water. Once her feet got wet, there'd be no opportunity to dry them again. The dampness and chaffing could cause a lot of damage. Hopefully, she wouldn't be out here that long. Looking around one more time, she took a bite of the cress. It wasn't the best in the world but she counted herself lucky to have found it at all. She'd hadn't eaten since this morning and that was taking its share of the toll on her body.

Finishing the impromptu meal, Calleigh wiped her hands on her pants and winced slightly. The handcuffs continued to rub with every move and her already abraded wrists were beginning to look like raw meat. She didn't even want to think about the bacterial feast that was probably taking place in there right now. Wearily, she climbed to her feet and headed back to the track she'd been following. The undergrowth on either side was limiting her line of sight and she still had no idea where she was in relation to Miami. Once it was fully dark, she was hoping the reflective glow of city lights would give her a direction. She'd come to a crossroads a little while ago and arbitrarily turned right. That the track even existed meant there had to be some sort of traffic. Hopefully, she'd run into a park ranger and not the Burruses.

Calleigh knew she shouldn't be out in plain sight but decided the risk was worth it. Her head was still pounding and she was about ready to concede that she probably had a mild concussion. Staying on the road meant better progress with less effort and that seemed more important at the moment. Soon she'd have to find a place to stay until morning. Night time was hunting time for many predators and she was at a distinct disadvantage. Tripping over a gator or a water moccasin could be as fatal as what she was escaping.

She trudged along as it grew darker, half on autopilot, checking over her shoulder every few minutes and listening to the increasing din from the denizens of the 'Glades. Every now and then, Calleigh could hear the booming roar of an alligator. Some were closer, some were further away. After living in the city for so many years, she'd forgotten just how noisy Mother Nature could be. The distant sound of a jet had Calleigh looking up and that's when her luck ran out.

She'd just gone around a bend in the road when headlights appeared at the next turn. Silhouetted, Calleigh froze for a split second and then turned and plunged off the road. The vehicle accelerated with a roar, removing all doubt that the bad guys had found her. Within a few steps, she was struggling through knee-deep water. Instinctively, Calleigh angled towards higher ground and a copse of trees. Sliding behind a small grouping, she rested her back against a trunk and tried to control her breathing so she could listen. It wasn't long before she could hear splashing and then a thin beam of light cut a swath through the trees. It was that time just before full dark where the eyes could play tricks on you. Her pursuer had eliminated that problem with the flashlight. Calleigh shrank against the tree trunk as the light passed over her hiding place. He didn't know where she was but she could track him.

She tensed as his footsteps moved closer. In a few moments, he'd be right on top of her and she had no illusions about taking someone on who was bigger, stronger and, no doubt, armed. Her only advantage would be surprise. When the barrel of a rifle suddenly appeared alongside of her, she simply reacted. Grabbing the barrel, she pivoted and yanked. The rifle came loose with a jerk and then went cartwheeling through the air when it slid through her hands. At the same time, her would-be assailant hit the tree trunks face first. He went down with a yell of pain and then started swearing. Calleigh chanced a quick look over her shoulder and felt like swearing, too. There was no time to retrieve the rifle and no guarantee that she could even find it.

Bracing herself, she waited. The man that came around the side wasn't one of the brothers, he was younger and more slightly built. That didn't make him any less of a threat. He grinned when he saw her and then suddenly lunged. Calleigh shifted sideways and ducked, setting her good shoulder and planting her feet. Surprised by the move, he grabbed nothing but air above her and then folded when Calleigh's shoulder slammed right into his solar plexus. Wheezing, he stayed bent over and his eyes widened as she swung her clasped hands at his head. The man tried to evade her and only partially succeeded as the handcuffs caught the side of his head, opening a gash. He went down and then rolled, coming back up to his feet a little distance away. The man shook his head while wiping at the blood on his face and then glared at her with murderous intent. His hand disappeared behind his back and came out with a hunting knife. "You bitch," was all he said.

Calleigh backed up, knowing this was going to end badly. She'd needed to take him out on that first attack and had failed miserably. There was no time to figure anything else out. The man stepped in and swung the blade in a wide arc. Calleigh easily moved out of the way and nearly got caught when he suddenly reversed direction and speed. She wasn't as lucky when the next attack came. It sent her staggering back with a long, shallow cut across her forearm. Grinning now, the man made a couple of feints that drove her even further back. Calleigh was almost to the water where her mobility would be severely limited. If she was going to stop this guy, it needed to be now.

He took a few more swipes trying to herd her into the water, grunting in frustration as she retreated sideways rather than backwards. Recognizing his impatience was making him more impetuous, Calleigh feigned a stumble, sinking down on one knee. Seeing his chance, the man rushed forward with an overhead strike. Finally seeing an opening, Calleigh suddenly straightened and stepped towards him, bringing her hands up, spread as far as the cuffs would allow. Catching his wrist, she kept moving forward, twisting his hand into a wrist lock as she went. Continuing to turn, she redirected his momentum, using it to fold his arm back over his shoulder, effectively trapping the knife hand behind his head. At this point, she would have normally disarmed him but with her hands fastened together, all she could do was to keep pulling down. Over-balanced, he crashed backwards and laid still.

Calleigh frantically scrambled away and then stopped, eyeing the man suspiciously. It was possible he hit his head on something. Cautiously, she moved in for a closer look and froze in disbelief. The point of the blade was protruding from his neck. Somehow, the knife had landed hilt-first and been driven straight through. He was dead. Calleigh sank down on the ground, pulling her knees up and resting her head. Her arm hurt like a son of a bitch and reaction was setting in. She couldn't stop shaking.

After a minute or two, she forced herself up. There simply wasn't time. It was almost a sure bet he'd contacted the others when he saw her. Calleigh's eyes widened as she thought about it and she hurried over to the body. Searching quickly, she sat back on her heels in frustration, no phone. She looked towards the road, considering. He must have left it in the truck but did she have time? Deciding it was worth the risk, she pushed herself upright and headed back the way she came. Reaching the side of the road a few minutes later, she carefully scanned the area. No one else was in sight.

She made her way to where the truck was haphazardly parked. The headlights were still on and the driver's side door was open. Looking into the cab, Calleigh stopped at the sight of the keys in the ignition. Here was a way out - if she only knew where the hell she was! Resolutely, she turned her attention to the rest of the inside. As tempting as it was, the truck could easily turn into a death trap. This was a game of hide and seek, not tag. Her survival was dependent upon the Burruses not finding her at all.

Calleigh's eyes widened and for the first time in hours, she smiled. Reaching forward, she grabbed the cellphone lying haphazardly on the seat. Attaching the clip to the waistband of her pants, she reached in again and pulled out her next prize, a gallon jug of water. Prying the cap off, she greedily sated her thirst. A minute or so later, the sound of a truck engine nearly caused her to choke. Ducking down, she moved towards the back of the truck and then bolted across the road into the underbrush. Headlights appeared a few seconds later.

Pulling to a stop in front of the other truck, Milo slapped the gearshift into park and pulled his rifle off the rack as he got out. Scanning the area, he looked over at Budge who was mimicking his movements on the other side, "See anything?" When Budge shook his head, Milo glanced back at Ray Don who was standing in the truck bed, sweeping a spotlight from side to side.

Ray Don shook his head, too, "I can't see nothing. Where is he?"

MIlo looked exasperated, "How the hell would I know? Enos said he saw her. He's probably chasing the bitch right now." Milo put a hand up to his mouth and hollered, "Enos! Where are you? Hey, Enos!" The three brothers went silent, listening intently. After a few seconds, Milo swore softly. He looked at Budge and Ray Don, "Get your flashlights and start looking. I don't like this."

Ray Don stared at him, "You think somebody else is out here?"

Milo rolled his eyes, "Sure I do. It's goddamn Grand Central Station. Get down from there and get going." He waved a hand to the right side of the road, "Spread out, we'll check this side first and then the other. Keep your eyes open." They moved into the brush, keeping each other in sight.

Calleigh froze at the distant sound of Milo's yell. It was one thing to know he was going to be hunting her, it was quite another to actually hear his voice. With an effort, she brought her attention back to her careful progress away from the Burrus brothers. She couldn't afford to panic now. Calleigh was once again slogging through water that went past her knees. She needed a safe place to spend the night. With difficulty, she clambered up a bank. It was hard maintaining her balance while carrying the water but she wasn't about to let it go. Accustomed to filtered city water, drinking anything in the 'Glades would have her sick as a dog in short measure. If Horatio didn't find her soon, she was going to have enough problems in that department. The cut across her forearm hadn't stopped bleeding entirely and there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't reach it at all and infection was inevitable.

Following a faint game trail, she moved deeper into the 'Glades, aware that evading Milo would make it that much more difficult for the good guys to find her, too. Forty-five minutes later, she stumbled into a little clearing with the crumbling remains of a small three-sided shed. Taking a step back into the deeper shadows, Calleigh scanned the area. Nothing about it said that anyone had been here in quite some time and it looked like Mother Nature was slowly reclaiming everything. Cautiously, she moved forward and peered into what was left of the building. This could be her den for the night.

Milo hurried over to where Budge was standing. They'd been searching for the last half hour. He stopped alongside his brother and looked down at Enos' body. "Son of a bitch," he spat as he dropped to his knees, putting a hand towards the knife but not quite touching it.

Ray Don reached them a few moments later, "Damn." He looked over at Budge, "Maybe he tripped and fell on it?"

Budge snorted in disbelief, "Yeah, right. Enos fell over backwards and decided to catch himself by putting his knife at the back of his neck. Jesus, Ray Don."

Ray Don stiffened, "Well then, you explain it, smart ass. Duquesne's hands are cuffed behind her. Think she held the knife in her damn teeth?"

"She did it," MIlo's voice was deadly quiet. "She killed him."

Budge and Ray Don exchanged glances. Budge spoke reluctantly, "How? Ray Don's right. Her hands are cuffed behind her. You didn't see 'em but I did. No way she could slide a hand out without breaking something."

"Then she broke something!" Milo roared. "She got her hands loose and she killed him and, by God, when we find her, I'll break every bone in her goddamn body!" He stared back down at the body, breathing heavily.

Ray Don and Budge shifted uncomfortably. This time it was Ray Don, "Uh, Milo? His rifle's missing, she's probably got it."

"So?" Milo's voice had gone back to deadly quiet.

Ray Don looked at Budge helplessly and then plowed on, "So - she's a cop. You know how good a shot she was when she was a kid. She's probably a hell of a lot better now."

"And, what? You wanna quit? Tuck tail and head home? Go tell Aunt Lula her boy was killed by that little bitty Duquesne bitch but we were too scared to go after her? Is that what you wanna do?" He took a deep breath while his brothers shuffled their feet and looked anywhere but at him, "Listen to me. You said it yourself. She's probably busted a hand and who knows what else gettin' outta the truck. She's got no food and no water. She's gotta keep movin' so she's not getting a lot of rest either. Every hour's just gonna make it worse. You know when she gets thirsty enough and drinks the water out here, she'll wind up heaving her guts out, too. By tomorrow, she'll be lucky if she can hold a rifle, much less aim it."

Milo reached forward and pulled Eno's body over. Grabbing the knife, he yanked it out and jammed it into the ground several times to get the blood off. Standing up, he pulled his own knife out and tossed it to the side, "We're going to catch her and take her back and once we're done, I'm gonna use this to carve his name in her guts." He shoved Enos' knife into the sheath. He gestured towards the body, "Get him up. We'll take him back to camp. We're not going to find that bitch in the dark. Let her run herself ragged. We'll come back at first light and start fresh. I want her by noon."

Friday,

8:30 pm

Calleigh slowly eased her back against what was left of the wall in the corner. It had been both tedious and nerve-wracking making sure the shed didn't contain anything lethal. She took another careful swig of the water and grimaced as both the cut on her arm and her wrists flared with pain. She'd puked up the water and what was left of the watercress earlier. Now that she was stationary, aches and pains she'd been ignoring were also reasserting themselves. Tomorrow promised to be a real joy.

Tilting her head back, Calleigh closed her eyes. She could still feel where Milo had throttled her but, at least, he hadn't damaged anything permanently. The bruises would heal - provided she was still breathing after the next day or two. She frowned, reprimanding herself. By now, Eric and Horatio would be moving heaven and earth to find her. Her eyes suddenly flew open as she remembered. The phone! Dammit, wallowing in self-pity had nearly made her forget. Pulling it free, she hit the power button and was rewarded with the soft glow of the touchpad. Squinting at the screen, she swore softly. The battery was halfway down.

With hands that trembled slightly, Calleigh punched in the familiar number and held the phone up to her ear. Hearing him say 'Delko' had her breath catching and for a moment, she couldn't speak. The 'hello?' that soon followed had a thin edge of impatience running through it. Giving herself a shake, Calleigh rasped out "Eric?"

Eric froze, his eyebrows lifting in surprise. He gripped the phone a little tighter, "Calleigh?" Frank and Natalia's heads shot up at the sound of her name. Immediately, Frank was on his own phone, asking A/V to try and track the call.

"Calleigh?" Eric repeated, "Where are you? Are you all right? What happened?"

Calleigh squeezed her eyes shut, telling herself it was silly to start crying just from hearing his voice, "I'm in the 'Glades but I don't know where. You'll have to find me."

"Always, you know that, Cal," Delko bent his head and turned slightly away, taking a deep breath to ease the tightness in his chest. He was vaguely aware of Ryan's arrival. "Are you all right?" When she didn't answer right away, his gut twisted. Eric straightened up slightly, his voice rising, "Calleigh? Are you hurt?"

Natalia exchanged a worried look with Ryan. Horatio appeared in the doorway just then, one eyebrow raised as he took in the scene in front of him. Natalia kept her voice down as she hurriedly filled him in. His expression changed almost instantly to worry and he moved to Eric's side to hear what he could of the conversation.

"Nothing serious," Calleigh finally answered. Eric already sounded beside himself. She knew how he was. If she had a hangnail, he'd worry over it. She didn't want him tearing himself up over something he'd had no control over.

"Calleigh," Eric said warningly, "Tell me." His voice dropped, "Please."

Her resistance crumbled. Wearily, she closed her eyes, "Okay. but just let me get through the whole thing. No interruptions. Please? The battery on this phone is running down." When he agreed, she launched into an abbreviated version of everything that had happened since this morning. There were several times when she knew he wanted to say something but, true to his word, kept silent. She finally finished and after a moment's pause, Eric's quietly heartfelt, 'oh Cal', had the tears running down her face again. She cleared her throat and said shakily, "I need to hang up now to save the battery." Calleigh paused for a second and then said softly, "I know I lost the right to say this but I do love you and I'm sorry." She ended the call then and let her head hang down for a moment, feeling exhausted. Carefully clipping the phone to her pant waist again and making sure the water was within easy grasp, she leaned into the corner and closed her eyes.

Eric pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it for a long moment, anger, elation and fear swirling. God help them, it had taken a life and death situation to get an admission of love out of her. Guilt made an appearance as well as his conscience helpfully reminded him that he'd been keeping her at arm's length, too.

"Eric?" Horatio finally asked. "What happened? Where is she?"

Eric kept his eyes on the phone, "She's in the 'Glades. She doesn't know where."

"What happened?" Horatio asked again, keeping his voice calm. Delko was obviously rattled and they needed information if they were going to get Calleigh back. He listened impassively as Eric repeated what Cal had told him.

"She got away?" Ryan was clarifying more than questioning. "It was the Burrus brothers?"

Eric nodded, "And friends. She jumped out of the bed of moving truck."

"Ow," Natalia winced in sympathy, "They didn't notice?"

"They weren't paying too much attention," Eric glanced down and cleared his throat for a moment before looking back up. "They thought she was still unconscious and her hands were cuffed behind her back. She worked them around to the front and got out when they slowed for a gator in their way. She's been on the run for about 3 hours."

"How'd she get hold of a phone?" Ryan asked, frowning slightly.

Eric's eyes grew hard, "She ran into one of them. It's his." He ducked his head, continuing softly, "Cal managed to knock the rifle out of his hands but then he went after her with a knife. She killed him with it."

"Damn," Ryan breathed softly, shocked. Behind him, Frank muttered, 'Good.'

"How badly is she hurt?" Horatio asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

Eric focused on his brother-in-law, aware that everyone else was listening closely, "The man she fought with cut her at least once, her wrists are raw from the handcuffs and she thinks she might have a concussion." He didn't elaborate any further. Horatio knew as well as he did that the waters of the Everglades were a giant petrie dish of micro-organisms. By morning, Calleigh's wounds could be well on their way to being infected. They needed to find her quickly.

Caine looked at Frank, "Did A/V track the call?"

Frank sighed in exasperation, "They tried. There's no GPS in the phone and not a lot of towers in the area, they couldn't triangulate. Best we've got is a five mile radius. I called the Parks Dept. to let them know. They'll have people out in the area at first light."

Eric frowned worriedly, "Did you tell 'em to be careful? Those jerks are going to try and get her back."

"Armed and dangerous, Frank," Horatio added, his expression grim, "Milo Burrus won't stop until he has her. He's killed before, he'll do it again."

"Oh hell," Frank nodded and pulled out his phone again, "I'm on it."


	6. Chapter 6

Moving right along - thanks to all who took the time to review.

Chapter 6

Friday,

9:00 pm

There was silence following Horatio's last statement. He looked at his team. There was a palpable anger radiating from all of them, mixed with determination and, in Natalia's case, a bit of disbelief. Horatio couldn't blame her. She'd known Calleigh the least amount of time and the petite blonde certainly didn't look like she could survive anything more strenuous than a broken nail. Horatio finally remembered the file folder Claudia had given him and looked at Ryan while holding it up, "Does this have something to do with this case?"

Ryan reached for it, "I think it's mostly what you already know from Mr. Duquesne. A Deputy Miles from Darnell, Louisiana called a little while ago, looking for Calleigh. A retired sheriff named Tolley had been shot a week ago and they finally got the ballistics back. It matched a rifle used in a B & E a couple of years back. The perp shot the family dog from the tree line and then went in and robbed the place. They caught the kid, he'd broken into the liquor cabinet and gotten blitzed. He left all kinds of trace but they couldn't find the gun." Ryan flipped through the pages, "His name was Enos Parker." He looked up at Horatio, "He's a first cousin to the Burrus brothers. Miles called to let Calleigh know about Tolley and to tell her to watch her back."

"Too little, too late," Eric muttered.

Natalia looked at him, "That wasn't their fault. You know these little towns have to go outside for their forensics. Blame the lab that pushed their file off for a week."

"So now what?" Frank cut right to the chase.

"So now," Horatio paused to look at his people, "Now, you go home and rest. Sunrise is at 6:05 am. We'll meet back here at 3:30 and then head out to the 'Glades, get Calleigh back and catch these guys. I'll call the SWAT commander and see about coordinating with his people." He shot a regretful look at Natalia, "Ms. Boa Vista will stay here. It's going to be too dangerous for anyone to be out there unarmed."

Natalia opened her mouth and then shut it again without saying anything. It was galling but Horatio was right, she'd be a liability out there. She sighed finally, "I'll see if I can identify whoever it was that took Calleigh from the Garcia scene. One of the officers said he thought he saw her leaving the house with a detective."

Frank scowled, "Pretty cool customer not to attract any attention from the rest of the cops and then get Calleigh to walk out with him. She had to have believed he was a real cop at the time."

Horatio narrowed his eyes, "Maybe he was."

Saturday,

5:10 am

Milo eased the truck off the road and into the underbrush. Killing the engine, he climbed out and slung his rifle and a small pack across his shoulders. Reaching back in, he pulled out a machete and started chopping branches to hide the truck. Once he was satisfied, he took one more branch and swept out the tire marks before tossing it aside. If any park rangers cruised by, they shouldn't notice a thing. Half a mile down the road, Budge and Ray Don were doing the same thing. It hadn't been until they got back to camp with Enos' body that Milo realized Duquesne had been in his cousin's truck. The cellphone was gone but she'd left behind something interesting - blood. Enos had gotten a few licks in before he went down - it was a point he'd had to hammer home to keep Ray Don from bolting.

After that, they'd spent a couple of hours looking over maps and planning how to find her. Milo downplayed the phone angle, pointing out that all she could tell anyone was that she was in the 'Glades. At least they had a general idea of where she was and now they had a way to track her. If she'd bled in the truck, she was leaving blood elsewhere, too. When they found where she left the road, the blood trail would be easy enough to follow. Now that he knew she was wounded, MIlo figured she'd be looking for places to rest, so the chances were, she wasn't far. Once they caught up with the little bitch, he'd break both her legs. She wouldn't be running anywhere after that and it'd be some payback for his cousin. Hell, Budge wanted to tie her to the truck bumper and drag her back to camp. Definitely a good thought if they could do it without killing her. Milo wanted her alive a while longer.

He stepped out to the side of the road and looked both ways. It was still deserted. Milo opened his cellphone and speed-dialed Budge, "Hey, I'm starting. Let me know if you spot her trail... Yeah... Good luck." He snapped it shut and pulled out his flashlight. The sun wasn't quite up yet but he was hoping to be off the road before it was fully light. Right now, he was looking for footprints and disturbances in the brush. Fifteen minutes later, Milo smiled as he crouched down for a better look. He pulled out his cellphone and hit speed-dial again, "Yo, got her. Come on up."

Calleigh twitched and moaned, lost in the throes of a nightmare. The water felt like a giant fist as it rushed in and enveloped her. She couldn't breathe. Valera stopped her in the corridor to tell her about Natalia and Eric dating. Owens told her she ruined everything she touched and slowly increased the current until she screamed in agreement. Rad Ashby lay in a bloody, lifeless heap. She stared at Janet Medrano's body and cursed herself for not seeing it coming. She put the pistol muzzle against Kerner's head and slowly turned it sideways. She closed her eyes when she heard the hammer pull back and waited for her life to end. Tim Speedle lay on the floor of the jewelry store, his life's blood oozing out. She was standing on the docks telling Kornspan to turn around, frozen in shock when it turned into Eric. He gave her a disappointed look and then Kornspan pulled the trigger. She was flat on her back, her shoulder on fire and Jake's voice was anxiously asking if she was okay. Her youngest brother, Pie, was screaming at them to leave his sister alone. She forced her eyes open and stared up at Budge Burrus as he pulled the club back for the final blow that would shatter her skull. A roaring filled her ears while Milo smiled and tightened his grip on her throat. The dead man sat up, pulled the knife out of his neck and jammed it into her arm with the speed of a striking snake.

Calleigh jolted upright with a strangled cry, her eyes wildly searching. The pain hit a moment later and she curled in on herself with a groan. She felt awful. Her shoulder and head were throbbing, her body ached and her hands and arm felt hot and swollen. She eased back against the wall and concentrated on breathing. If there was a plus side to how she was feeling, it would be that this was a real appetite killer. No breakfast wasn't going to be a problem - the thought of food left her slightly nauseated. After a few moments, she cracked open an eye. The light was changing. Shapes were becoming discernible. It was time to get moving again, Something that was probably going to be easier said than done.

Slowly, she extended her legs and wiggled her feet. Encouraged when that didn't hurt too badly, she tried flexing her hands and stopped with a sharp hiss. Moving her left hand, even a little, aggravated the wound to her forearm. It had stopped bleeding and was an angry, swollen red. Carefully, she tried just her right hand and sighed in relief. It hurt but not badly. She eyed the water and licked dry lips. Time to see what happened when her left arm had to go along for the ride.

Her jaw clenched in anticipation, she reached out and wrapped her hand around the handle. Slowly and carefully, she slid the jug onto her lap with a wince. Prying off the lid, she only got the water halfway up before pain made her stop. Frustrated, Calleigh let her head rest against the wall. This wasn't good. Pulling her legs in, she put the jug on her knees and used them to lift it. That worked. With some judicious maneuvering, she managed a long, satisfying drink. Replacing the cap, she contemplated the next challenge - standing up.

Ryan looked over at Eric, "How do you suppose Horatio talked SWAT into letting us join in the search?"

Eric shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road. They were getting deeper into the 'Glades and he didn't want any surprises that might prevent them from joining the search. "H knows a lot of people in the department and Calleigh's worked with the SWAT guys before. I"m just glad they're letting us go along. I don't think I could stand having to sit around and wait." He was putting mildly. Sleep had been nearly non-existent for him last night. Every time he drifted off, he'd been assailed by nightmares of Calleigh in the hands of the Burrus brothers.

Ryan settled a little deeper in the seat, "Yeah." He was silent for a while and then glanced sideways, "Think the Burrus brothers are out there right now?"

"Oh yeah," Eric looked grim, "But Calleigh probably knows that, too. She'll be moving."

If she can. Ryan didn't say the thought out loud. He knew from Eric's tone that the other man was thinking the same thing. He turned and stared out the window, it was almost light enough to see. He wanted to ask Eric how much he'd known of Calleigh's life prior to coming to Miami but couldn't figure out an appropriate opening. Those two had worked together a long time. Ryan had thought he'd known a fair bit but, as she had pointed out once, knowing one thing about a person doesn't mean you know everything. For some reason, it hadn't surprised him to learn that even as a teenager, Calleigh had possessed the wherewithal to confront three violent men. It scared him but it didn't surprise him.

They arrived at the command post area about ten minutes later. The SWAT boys were there, along with a number of park rangers. Pulling the Hummer into a vacant spot, Eric and Ryan got out and went to find the officer in charge. They headed for the large SWAT van and a few minutes later, were waiting patiently for Lt. Javier McMillen. He acknowledged them with a nod and continued to speak into the handset. The lieutenant finished up his conversation, giving the handset back to the technician, and turned to the two CSIs, "Delko and Wolfe, right?" When they nodded, he stepped down, "Come with me. We need to get you suited up and over to your partners. I'll be briefing everyone in five minutes."

A short time later, Eric was shrugging his shoulders, trying to settle the unfamiliar weight of the kevlar vest. McMillen had introduced he and Wolfe to their SWAT counterparts, Sgt. Dave Montrose and Sgt. Ethan Price. Montrose had been sympathetic, he'd worked with Calleigh before. Now they were standing in a small group, waiting for the briefing to begin.

Eric tensed as Lt. McMillen moved to the front and raised his hands for silence, "I'm sure all of you know why we're here but in case the coffee hasn't kicked in yet, " he paused during the expected smiles, "We've got three, maybe four, former felons who grabbed CSI Calleigh Duquesne out of a crime scene and transported her here." His expression turned wry, "Those who know Duquesne might not be surprised to learn that she escaped her captors and killed one of them in the process." There were murmurs of approval from some of the SWAT officers. "However, she sustained some injuries and, as the rangers here can tell you, being out in the 'Glades has probably worsened her condition. The felons are pursuing her as well. Lt. Caine has informed me that these men have a personal vendetta against CSI Duquesne - she was responsible for putting them in prison in the first place - and they're aren't likely to quit until we stop them. Our mission is twofold, retrieve CSI Duquesne and catch the bad guys. These men are armed and dangerous. The brass has okayed the use of deadly force if necessary. Be careful, don't take chances. You'll be working in teams, listen to your leader." McMillen glanced up at the lightening sky, "Once the sun is up, MDPD will have a chopper in the air to help search. Lt. Caine will be on board to coordinate. Any questions?"

A ranger raised his hand, "How do we know we're searching in the right place? You know how big the 'Glades are."

McMillen smiled, "Did I mention Duquesne acquired a phone during her escape? She called in yesterday evening and the tech guys narrowed it down to this area."

"Has anyone heard from her since?" One of the SWAT officers asked.

McMillen shook his head, "Not that I know of." He looked at Eric, "Has she called in again?"

"No," Eric shook his head, too. "Calleigh did say the battery didn't have much juice left. She's probably trying to conserve what she's got." He offered a reasonable explanation that he was having a hard time actually believing. Eric kept his voice steady, not wanting to betray how his worry was growing. There were a hell of a lot of reasons why she hadn't checked in again, most of them bad.

"Okay," McMillen looked around, "If there aren't any more questions, then let's get going. You have your search quadrants. Check in at your scheduled intervals and, team leaders, keep in touch with each other. Good hunting, gentlemen. Let's bring her home."

Ray Don slapped at his neck and then dragged a sleeve across his forehead. They'd lost Duquesne's trail in a sluggish, meandering waterway and were quartering the area to see where she got out. The sun had been up for about an hour and as far as he could see, they were no closer to finding the damn woman. He was all for cutting their losses and getting the hell out of Dodge. Despite what Milo had said, he knew the cops would be closing in soon. He'd heard a helicopter in the distance, eventually it would be here and then they'd be screwed. Neither Budge or Milo would listen to him, they were too focused on catching Duquesne and getting their pound of flesh. Ray Don hefted his rifle a little as his eyes continued to sweep the bank alongside him. If he got a shot at her, he'd take it and be done. Milo and Budge could yell at him later.

He paused for a moment when Budge's hand went up in the air and then hurried over. Milo joined them a few seconds later. "She got out here," Budge said quietly with satisfaction. The sign wasn't fresh though, and Ray Don bit back a sigh.

Milo glanced at Ray Don in irritation. The youngest of them had done nothing but piss and moan since they found Enos and he'd about had enough. It wasn't helping that they weren't having an easier time finding that bitch. He'd forgotten that she knew her way around swampy terrain. Every hour they wasted out here meant less and less chance of carrying out his plans and his anger was steadily increasing. If it went on much longer, he'd have to improvise when they found her. Milo took the lead and climbed up the bank, following the trail. When they hit an open sandy patch, he smiled. The tracks wove slightly from side to side. Duquesne had begun to weaken which meant she probably stopped somewhere for the night. He hurried his pace, if he was lucky maybe she hadn't been able to get started again.

Thirty minutes later, they were cautiously stalking an old lean-to. Ray Don had needlessly reminded them several times that Duquesne had Enos' rifle. Finally reaching the interior, Milo straightened up in disgust. She'd been here but was gone now. The three men spread out and this time it was Ray Don who raised a hand. The other two hurried over and Milo knelt down to get a better look. He glanced up at his brothers and smiled, "We're only an hour or two behind her now. Let's go."

Calleigh braced herself against a tree trunk and closed her eyes for a moment. She'd been moving for a couple of hours now without much attention to where she was going except for making sure she wasn't traveling in a circle. So long as she didn't run into the Burruses, direction really didn't matter. It felt more and more like she was getting a massive case of the flu. Her body ached and her fever seemed to be climbing at about the same rate as the sun. She desperately wanted to lay down and rest but knew it wasn't an option - not if she wanted to live.

Standing up for the first time this morning had been just as hard as she'd feared it would be. Beyond the other injuries, her neck and back didn't want to unbend from the position she'd been in all night, her legs felt rubbery and the world seemed permanently canted to the left. She'd tried using the shed wall to get up and had nearly impaled herself on a broken board when the damn thing gave way. Having to catch herself with her hands was literally an eye-opening experience and she'd bit her lip hard enough to draw blood to keep from screaming. The adrenalin rush, however, did serve to get her to her feet and she'd staggered out of the shed and into the 'Glades just before sunrise. Moving had become easier as she finally loosened up and she made decent progress for the first hour or so but then things gradually worsened until she'd arrived at her current position - leaning against a tree and wishing it was a nice, soft bed.

It wasn't like she hadn't been expecting this. Open, untreated wounds were a certain recipe for nasty infections and all the attendant miseries, but she was still annoyed that it was happening. Milo Burrus and his neanderthal brothers were after her and she just didn't have time to deal with this, too. Why couldn't this be like that idiotic soap opera she'd been stuck watching a couple of years ago? The actress, make-up perfect and hair tastefully mussed, was supposedly lost in some tropical jungle. Calleigh had watched in fascinated disbelief as the woman simpered and squealed her lines while pushing through what looked like the largest collection of neatly manicured office plants on the Eastern seaboard. There'd been the requisite smudge of dirt on one high cheekbone and an artfully placed rip in her designer blouse. When the hero showed up just before the last commercial break, the woman had thrown herself at him, wrapping two surprisingly clean and beautifully manicured hands in his hair and kissing him passionately. Calleigh suspected when she was rescued, they'd need a hose to get all the crap off and her 'heroes' would be lucky if she didn't barf on them.

Surely, people had to be looking for her by now and not just those damn Burrus brothers. The thought of them forced her eyes open and she pushed off the tree, listing slightly to one side. She didn't feel the phone come loose and or hear it as it fell to the ground. Turning, she made her way deeper into the underbrush. It was tougher going but it also prevented a clear shot unless those SOBs were right on top of her. After a while, Calleigh was forced to stop again. She was losing track of time and distance - she had no idea how far she'd gotten since the last break but suspected it wasn't nearly enough. She was also beginning to have lapses and that scared her. One minute she was trudging on dry land and the next, it seemed, she was stumbling through swamp. She had no memory of the transition. The water was gone, too, and she couldn't remember if she'd drank it all or just lost it.

A thumping noise caught Calleigh's attention and she looked around nervously. What the hell was after her now? It kept growing louder and it was a struggle not to give in to instinct and bolt. When the helicopter appeared, it took her sluggish mind a moment to process the information but then her eyes widened. Rescue! Pushing off the tree she was under, Calleigh staggered towards an open area, cursing at the unsteadiness of her legs. She broke out of the tree line just as the chopper went by and nearly wept with disappointment. Had they missed her? Moving a few more steps into the open, she stood swaying slightly while watching it leave. Suddenly remembering the phone, she reached for it only to discover it was gone. It was too much and she dropped to her knees, head bowed in a surge of despair and frustration. So damn close! After about thirty seconds, Calleigh suddenly realized the thumping was getting louder once more. Were they coming back? Hope helped her stagger to her feet again and she smiled in relief as the helicopter came into view. They were heading right for her.

Saturday,

Sunrise

Horatio greeted Sgt. Raphael Morenz and started to introduce himself. Morenz stopped him, "No need, Lieutenant Caine. I remember you from that sniper case a few years back. I was flying with CSI Delko. Gutsy move making yourself a target like that." He held out a hand, "Sgt. Raphael Morenz, friends call me Rafe."

"Rafe," Horatio smiled, ducking his head a little, "Gutsy wasn't the word a few people used when they found out about it. You're the reason I'm still here so, thank you." He shook the pilot's hand, "Horatio." Glancing at the helicopter, he raised an eyebrow, not wanting to appear impatient, "Shall we?"

Morenz looked up at the lightening sky, "Yeah, let's get to it. I already did my preflight. By the time we get to the site, the sun should be up enough to see." He turned back at Horatio, "We'll find your CSI, don't you worry." Horatio nodded silently and the two men climbed aboard. A few minutes later, the helicopter lifted smoothly into the sky and sped south towards the Everglades.

Putting on the headset, Horatio listened to Rafe's instructions on using the radio, reading their position off the instrument panel and which frequencies were designated for the Search and Rescue. Getting a nod from the pilot, Caine notified the CP that they were on their way and would begin their search pattern at the northern-most quadrant, working south. The two men were silent after that, listening to the chatter of the various teams that had already deployed. Horatio wondered how Eric and Ryan were doing. It would be tough going, tramping through the marshy terrain and that had been one of the reasons he'd opted for the helicopter. Chasing through the underbrush was a young man's pursuit. Being their eyes in the sky would be his way to contribute to Calleigh's rescue.

He glanced over at Rafe when the chopper slowed and began to descend. It leveled off at about a hundred feet and Rafe looked over at Horatio, "Time to earn those big bucks they pay us. Look sharp." Horatio nodded, already scanning the vegetation below. A new worry surfaced, what if she was down there and he missed her? Resolutely, he pushed that thought aside. When Calleigh heard the chopper, she'd make sure she was seen.

They'd been searching for about an hour when the radio chatter suddenly picked up. One of the teams further south had come across a pickup truck concealed with brush. There was a small amount of dried blood in the bed and tracks heading westward into the undergrowth. Expanding the search had yielded a second concealed truck, this one with considerably more blood in the back. Immediately, Lt. McMillen began to pull his teams from the north and south and set them on a converging path. The Burrus brothers were in a three-sided box that was slowly constricting. Rafe turned the helicopter south and headed for the scene. Horatio found himself leaning forward slightly in anticipation.

Nerves taut, Horatio continually scanned the ground below. He saw several squads of dark-clad men making their way across. He thought he spotted Eric. He'd seen a brief flash of face and a quick wave as they passed over one group. He concentrated once more on his task. If they were closing in on the Burruses, the chances were high those bastards were also closing in on Calleigh. They needed to find her first.

They had just passed over a small clearing when Horatio stiffened and swung his head back for a second look. Had he caught movement out of the corner of his eye? He wasn't sure and they were already too far past. Rafe looked over at him, "What?"

Horatio shook his head, "I don't know."

Rafe stared at him for a moment and then swung the helicopter around, "Let's find out then."

Milo stayed motionless under the canopy of the trees as the helicopter flew by. Once it was past, he swore viciously. They were so damn close, he could feel it. They'd found a nearly empty water jug about a mile back. He'd been disappointed to find she'd had safe water to drink but that had been offset by the fact that her trail was becoming easier to follow as well as increasingly erratic. Whatever damage Enos had done was finally affecting her. He hoped it was painful as hell, too. He waited for his brothers to make their way up to him.

True to form, Ray Don started in right off the bat, "I told you! I told you she'd bring the cops here with that phone! They're probably closing in right now... "

He didn't get any further. Milo put a fist in his face, knocking him flat. Budge stood watching, his face expressionless. MIlo leaned down, his voice quiet but obviously enraged, "I've had enough of you, dammit! Quit whining and grow a backbone! No one's caught us yet and they're ain't gonna." He held up his thumb and forefinger, "We're this close to catching her and we're not stopping because of some damn chopper."

"We ain't gonna have time to do much and we can't take her with us, she'll slow us down," Budge pointed out quietly. He was tired of Ray Don, too. "You wanna just shoot her when we see her?"

Milo shook his head, his expression fierce, "No, goddammit! That bitch took sixteen years away from me. I don't want her dying quick. We'll think of something. Keep your eyes open and come on." He turned around and took up the trail again. Budge silently helped Ray Don up and then gave him a shove in the right direction. The two hurried after Milo.

Twenty minutes later, they ducked into the underbrush as the chopper made another pass further south of them. Milo was out and moving as soon as they'd gone by. The trail was so hot now he knew they could be spotting her at any time. He froze when the chopper suddenly slowed and reversed direction. Budge swore quietly beside him. Dammit to hell, the cops must have seen her first. Frustrated beyond belief, Milo threw his rifle up to his shoulder, took dead aim on the approaching helicopter and opened fire. Budge jumped in surprise and then began shooting as well with Ray Don joining in a few moments later. At first it didn't seem to do anything but then the chopper began to shudder and slow. Excited, the three began firing as rapidly as they could and soon there was smoke pouring from the fuselage as the helicopter twisted sideways and headed for the ground. It disappeared behind the tree line, followed closely by a deep boom and the screech of metal crumbling. Then there was silence. Milo turned to his brothers who were laughing and slapping each other on the back and smiled, "Now let's get Duquesne."


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

Chapter 7

Saturday,

9:45 am

"Oh my god! Did you see that?" Ryan stared wide-eyed at Eric. They'd been moving steadily southward since the discovery of the two trucks. Ten minutes ago, the MDPD helicopter had overflown their position as it moved into its search pattern. Eric had waved a hand at it while griping good-naturedly about the joys of becoming intimately familiar with every aromatic square inch of the Everglades while some people flitted here and there in relative comfort. Ryan hadn't done anything other than grin in agreement as he continued to scan the area around him. He'd known Eric wasn't serious. They'd all been determined to find Calleigh and if that meant slogging through a smelly swamp, well, they'd gone through worst stuff on cases. It beat the hell out of sitting around the lab wondering what was going on.

Eric nodded, at a loss for words. This couldn't be happening. Less than a minute ago, he'd been ecstatic when Horatio had radioed that they had Calleigh in sight and she was alive. He, Ryan and the two SWAT officers had picked up the pace, hurrying towards the helicopter and then all hell had broken loose. All four had ducked for cover when the rifle fire broke out and then the chopper had dropped out of the sky. He and the others had heard the terse voice of Horatio calling out a 'Mayday', followed by 'Shots fired.' There'd been a pause and then the ominous words, 'Pilot hit' and then the helicopter had disappeared from view.

They were too far away to hear much of the crash but Eric took some comfort in the fact that there hadn't been any sort of fireball. It was possible there were survivors. That Horatio might be dead was unthinkable. Considering some of the situations the man had walked away from unscathed, Eric was convinced he was probably part cat. Surely, a helicopter crash wouldn't be enough to kill him.

Despite his fear for his brother-in-law, Eric's biggest worry was Calleigh. Horatio had said she was alive but Eric knew by now, she was probably in rough shape. There was no telling how close she'd been to the crash itself. At the very least, she could well be in shock from seeing the copter going down in front of her. What scared Eric most was that the Burruses were closer to her now than any of the squads. If those bastards didn't kill her outright, they could be facing a hostage situation. From the brothers' history with Calleigh, he knew they'd enjoy hurting her to gain leverage.

Meanwhile, all the teams were converging on the crash site as quickly as they could while Lt. McMillen requested a Medivac copter ASAP. Sgt. Montrose kept everyone from charging headlong, there were bad guys to consider, but they were still moving at a pretty good clip. Eric was feeling the strain. He ran to keep himself in shape but never in full gear through rough terrain. Beside him, Ryan was struggling too, but staying with the group out of sheer willpower. Neither could bear the thought of letting Horatio or Calleigh down.

Reflex had Calleigh diving for the ground at the first sharp report of a rifle. Contact with the ground had nearly caused her to pass out. The reddish-gray haze that obscured her sight had lifted in time to see the helicopter impact the ground not one hundred feet away. She had no memory of how she regained her feet or covered the distance to the crash but it seemed that suddenly she was beside the wreckage. The helicopter had landed more or less upright. One skid had collapsed, canting it to one side, the tail section had broken off on impact, one rotor was twisted and bent while the other was half-buried in the ground. The smell of fuel was strong but, thankfully, no fire.

Calleigh blinked a couple of times as she stared at the side of the helicopter. Her eyesight was beginning to do odd things and she'd discovered earlier that shaking her head to clear it was a good way to knock herself off her feet. Colors seemed more harsh and contrasting and there was halo around the edges that she hadn't noticed before. Slowly, Calleigh made her way around towards the front. The pilot was the first body she saw and it looked like he was dead. He was hanging limp in the harness and the front of his jumpsuit was soaked in blood. She moved a little further over to the passenger side and froze suddenly. There was no mistaking that red hair.

Stumbling to the door, she grabbed the handle and frantically yanked at it, ignoring the fire shooting up and down her left arm. God above, don't let him be dead. She would never forgive herself if Horatio died because of her. The door suddenly popped loose, nearly knocking her down. She scrambled back to the opening, reaching in to check for a pulse and then swore quietly in frustration. Her hands were throbbing painfully, she couldn't feel anything else.

"Does your father know..."

Calleigh started in surprise, "Horatio?"

His head turned slowly towards her, "... you know words like that?"

She felt like laughing and crying and just plain collapsing, and in the end, Calleigh leaned wearily against the opening and stared at him.

Horatio stared back. She was filthy and looked exhausted. Her face was dirt-streaked and flushed and her eyes were fever-bright. He couldn't help the small, lopsided smile that worked its way out. "Madam, you are a sight for sore eyes."

Calleigh gave him a look and then smiled back, "More like a sight, but it's good to see you too." Her voice sounded rough from disuse. Clearing her throat, she automatically glanced back the way she'd come, "Do you think you can move? Because we can't stay here."

The Burruses. Horatio winced as he released the harness. He hurt but, at the moment, it was hard to say how serious it might be. He was suddenly reminded of Rafe and swiveled his head back the other way. He heard Calleigh say quietly, "I think he's gone." Horatio reached across and felt for a pulse. After several long seconds, he took his hand away and let his head hang down, "He saved my life, you know. Even after he was hit the second time, he managed to control the landing."

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too." He turned back towards her and frowned, "You look like hell."

Calleigh arched a tired eyebrow, "Don't you say the sweetest things." She shifted out of the way but continued leaning against the fuselage as he began to climb out of the helicopter. Adrenalin had gotten her this far and now that it was fading, she was left feeling worse than before.

Horatio dug into a pocket and stepped in close to her, "Let me see your hands." He inhaled softly as she shakily extended her wrists. It was no wonder she'd been swearing. Infection had taken a firm hold. The cuffs were covered in blood and gore, her hands, wrists and left arm were swollen and a nasty discharge was oozing from the wound across her forearm. Carefully, he unlocked and removed the handcuffs, tossing them into the helicopter to be retrieved later.

Calleigh squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lip. Horatio was being extremely gentle but it still hurt. Once her hands were free, she couldn't help the slight groan as she gingerly cradled her left arm with her right. The next thing she knew she was flat on the ground. Alarmed, she began to struggle to regain her feet. Her eyes didn't want to focus and that only increased her sense of panic. Then came the reassuring sound of Horatio's quiet voice asking her to calm down. His hand was surprisingly cool against her face as she slowly relaxed.

Horatio frowned as he kept his hand on Calleigh's forehead. As he'd somewhat expected, she was burning with fever. It had scared him when she collapsed so quickly. He'd barely managed to slow her fall although catching her did pinpoint a few more of his own aches and pains. His back had protested both the sudden move and the extra weight and he'd nearly dropped her. As fast as she went down, he was surprised at how quickly she tried to get back up. Worried that that would lead to another fall, he tried to keep her in place. Fortunately, she was cognizant enough to listen to him. He slid his hand around to the side of her face and leaned in a little, "Calleigh? There's a first aid kit in the helicopter. I'm going to get it so just lie still a bit longer, okay?"

He was up and moving before she could formulate a response. Calleigh felt like she was teetering on the edge. It would be so easy to let go and sink into oblivion. She was reeling physically and mentally and giving in was insidiously tempting. It was an increasing sense of urgency that kept her in the here and now. The Burruses had to be getting closer and she couldn't leave Horatio to deal with them alone. He didn't know them like she did. Milo had a nasty, sadistic streak and the thought of what he could do with the both of them was enough to make her literally shudder.

"Calleigh?" Horatio couldn't hide the anxiousness in his voice. He'd returned in time to see her shake and felt a sense of panic. Had her temperature spiked to the point of causing convulsions? He was no doctor but he knew the first aid kit was not nearly adequate to the task and he wasn't sure how much he could do. "Calleigh?" he repeated, smoothing a hand over her hair, "Can you hear me?" He felt a little more hope when her eyes opened and tracked towards him.

He watched as she blinked a couple of times and swallowed painfully, her voice more hoarse than before, "Can't stay, they're coming."

"I know, sweetheart", Horatio reached for the water bottle he'd brought along with the kit. He slid a hand under her head and lifted slightly, "I've got water here. Take a drink." He held the bottle steady for her until she was done and then recapped it. Horatio eyed her critically, "Think you can sit up?"

Calleigh nodded, gritting her teeth as he helped her up and keeping her head lowered until the dizziness eased. Finally, she looked over at him, "You need to get out of here. They'll kill you to get to me."

As she somewhat expected, he shook his head, "I won't leave you." Horatio opened up the first aid kit and began pulling out packets of antibiotic, gauze pads and self-sticking wrap. He scooted closer, "Keep watch and let me see your arm."

Calleigh stiffened as he began applying the ointment. He was being as careful as he could but her arm was hypersensitive right now. Blinking a few times to clear her watering eyes, she tried focusing on the far tree line. Her vision, if anything, was growing worse. She was about to tell Horatio that when she caught a glint of light.

Horatio considered their options as he did what he could with the infected wounds. His cell was still working. He'd already contacted Lt. McMillen while he was back in the helicopter. He hadn't been sure how aware Calleigh was of her surroundings and he didn't want to upset her with his assessment of their situation. It wasn't good. She looked to be about at the end of her rope and he was in no condition to carry her. The Burruses should be arriving any time now and all he had was his pistol and Rafe's against their rifles. The undergrowth negated some of the difference in range but it also meant they could flank him and he wouldn't know until it was too late. He didn't think Calleigh was capable of holding a pistol much less aiming one at the moment.

The sound of a rifle shot happened at the same time that Calleigh grabbed a fistful of Horatio's coverall and yanked him down. She was almost fast enough as a line of fire erupted across his back below his shoulder blade and his upper right arm exploded in agony. His exclamation of pain was mirrored by a weaker one from Calleigh. She'd gotten him down by the most expeditious method of locking her arm and throwing herself down first. He'd landed on top of her.

Despite the pain, Horatio kept himself moving, rolling off of Calleigh as he awkwardly drew his pistol with his left hand. Bracing his elbow on the ground, he squeezed off three quick rounds in the direction of that first shot. Hoping that bought them a little time, he twisted his head around to check on Calleigh. She was curled on her side, hugging her bad arm. The bandage he'd put on was soaked with blood and fluid. It was apparent the wound had broken open. "Calleigh?" he rasped and then cleared his throat, "Calleigh? Can you move?"

She slowly opened her eyes and managed a short nod. Before she could say anything, two more bullets whizzed overhead, one striking the helicopter and the other disappearing into the underbrush. Calleigh flattened herself further while Horatio answered with a couple shots of his own. He turned back towards her, trying not to wince, "Can you get behind the copter?"

"Think so," Calleigh wasn't sure if she was lying or not although she planned on giving it her best shot. Her head was spinning as she regarded him with worry. She hadn't missed how he was holding himself or that he was shooting with his left hand, "How bad?"

Horatio almost smiled. Despite everything, he still couldn't get much past her, "Won't be arm-wrestling anyone for a while." At the look she gave him, he relented, "It hurts like hell and I'm regretting every meal I've eaten since last Thursday."

Calleigh stared at him for a long moment before her body suddenly sagged and her eyes drifted shut. Her voice was barely audible, "Oh god, Horatio, I'm so sorry."

Flinching as another shot hit the copter, Horatio looked anxiously towards the blonde, "Calleigh?"

Milo ducked and spun towards the sound of the rifle going off behind him. "You jackass! What the hell are you doing?" He'd taken one step back towards Ray Don when three shots rang out. He and his brothers dove for the ground as one whizzed through the leaves overhead. Milo glared angrily at his youngest brother, "God damn you! We could have been on top of them before they knew we were there!"

Ray Don glared back, "I had a shot! I don't give a flying f_k about your damn stupid revenge! I want this over! The rest of the cops'll be here soon. We need to get out while we can!"

A moment later, he was on his back, his eyes round with fear. Milo had him pinned with Enos' knife across his throat, "You didn't spend sixteen years in a box! I want what's due me, you hear? She dies when I say so!" He pulled back, picked up Ray Don's rifle and shoved it at his brother, "Here. You're so fond of shooting. Keep 'em pinned while Budge and me circle 'round from the sides. I don't care if you kill the cop but Duquesne better be alive when I get to her. Give us five minutes." Not bothering to look at Ray Don again, he gestured to Budge and the two men split up and disappeared into the brush.

Muttering angrily, Ray Don fired two more shots towards the copter and ducked when two shots answered his. He needed better cover. Whoever was shooting back was getting closer. Snapping off another round, he scrambled to the side and got behind a tree. Feeling a little safer, Ray Don took aim again. The only thing he could see clearly was the helicopter, Duquesne and the man had dropped out of his sight after that first shot. He shook his head angrily. Dammit, he'd could've sworn he'd hit the guy. Dropping his sights slightly, Ray Don started firing towards the area just in front of the copter. Chances were that the underbrush in his way would stop most of the bullets but, according to his high and mighty brother, all he was supposed to do was keep their attention. He would do just that and when four minutes was up, Milo and Budge were on their own. He'd be out of here so fast, the dust wouldn't catch up with him for a week. The cops would only catch two of them.

Milo made his way quickly through the undergrowth, swinging wide so he could come at them from the side. He was still angry. What the hell he'd done to deserve a brother like Ray Don, he didn't know. As the baby of the family, he'd been coddled way too much. Milo had done his best to counter that, taking every opportunity to beat some backbone into the wimp but it was obvious now, that in his long absence, Ray Don had backslid. That was something else he owed Duquesne for. Keeping an eye on his surroundings, he allowed himself a few moments to indulge in plans of retribution. Budge had been right when he'd said they were running out of time. His original plans for days of humiliating, dehumanizing gang rape and sodomy were long gone. Still, if they could grab her quickly enough, he could probably salvage something.

All he needed was a bit of a head start and the cops wouldn't be able to track them. Duquesne was light enough to carry and Budge could hide their trail. Once they'd lost themselves in the 'Glades and had some breathing space, it wouldn't be hard to break enough bones to immobilize her. He and Budge could each take a quick run at the little bitch and then he'd bleed her enough to attract whatever was handy - gator, bear or buzzard, he didn't much care so long as it killed her eventually. Ray Don could go wherever the hell he wanted, Milo was done with him.

Sgt. Montrose signaled a halt and Eric stopped, bending over to take deep breaths with his hands on his knees. He needed the break almost as much as he didn't want one. They had to get to Calleigh and Horatio. Beside him, Ryan was bent over as well, taking great lungfuls of air. Even Sgt. Price was panting. They'd been moving relentlessly towards the site of the downed helicopter, all the while knowing the Burrus brothers would get there first. At least, Horatio and Calleigh were alive, not in great shape but still alive. It had been incentive to keep pushing on. McMillen had passed along the conversation he'd had with the CSI lieutenant to the squad leaders and Montrose had filled them all in.

All the squads were converging as quickly as they could, hoping that Horatio could hold off the brothers long enough for help to reach him. Eric felt Ryan give him a nudge and looked up to Montrose signaling them to come over. Straightening up, he forced himself into a jog to join up with the SWAT officers. Montrose had one of his maps out. He started speaking as soon as they got close, "We should be pretty close to the site. We'll be coming in from the north. Alpha and Charlie squads are almost in position to the east and Delta is coming up from the south." He looked around, his gaze briefly resting on Eric and Ryan, "Watch your lines. Hopefully, we can take these guys and secure the area without shooting but if they resist, we don't need anyone hit by friendly fire."

The loud report of a rifle shot interrupted whatever else Montrose was going to say. "Damn," was all that Price got out before three more shots were heard.

Ryan looked at the SWAT officers, "Those were pistol shots. That's gotta be Horatio."

Montrose stood up quickly, tucking the map away. He pointed to Eric, "Delko, you stick with me and Wolfe, stay close to Price. If we tell you to do something, you do it, no questions. Got it?" The two CSIs nodded and Montrose turned and gestured towards the sounds of firing, "Move it, gentlemen. It's time for the cavalry to arrive."

"Calleigh?" Horatio repeated anxiously. Dammit, had she passed out again? Gritting his teeth, he began the painful process of crawling over to her. He was going to have to do something about the blood loss and soon, he was starting to get light-headed. Another series of shots rang out and Horatio flinched as a bullet slammed into the earth about five feet away. The brothers were getting smarter about where they were aiming. He fired back to let them know he was still around and continued his slow journey to Calleigh's side. Finally, he was crouched alongside, panting from the effort. His right arm was hanging uselessly by his side.

She was still on her side and it looked like she was out cold. Grimacing, Horatio put the pistol down in front of him and reached out to put a hand on her forehead, then swore quietly. He hadn't thought it would be possible but she felt hotter than before. Horatio slid his hand around to the side of her face and patted her cheek, "Calleigh? Sweetheart? C'mon, you need to wake up." He sucked in a breath as she started to move a little, "That's it. C'mon, Cal, no sleeping on the job. We've got things to do and people to see." Horatio felt a surge of relief when her eyes began to flutter open. He gave her a smile when she finally focused on him, "Hello again."

Calleigh blinked a little and frowned, "What happened?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. She cringed as another barrage of shots passed overhead.

"It's okay, " Horatio soothed, "Most of the shots haven't even been close these last few times. I don't know why... " He froze suddenly in alarm. Son of a bitch, how could he be so dense? It was a diversion...

"Horatio," Calleigh's voice, low and tense, broke into his thoughts. She was looking past him, her face suddenly paler.

"Don't move." A man's voice sounded behind him, moving closer, "Now show me your hands, nice and easy."

Horatio closed his eyes briefly as he extended his left hand out to his side. He started to give Calleigh a look of apology and his eyes widened in surprise. She'd reached forward and grabbed his pistol. She gave him a quick look as she firmed up her grip and he gave the barest of nods. Silently, he mouthed, "One... two..." On three, he threw himself to the side as Calleigh raised the pistol and fired twice. It hurt like hell when he landed and for a moment, he fought to remain conscious. Finally, Horatio turned his head to look back and saw the body of a large man stretched out on the ground, arms flung wide. Even fever-ridden, Calleigh's aim was deadly.

He looked over at her and she was staring at the body, the pistol resting in a limp hand. With an effort, Horatio pushed himself up into a sitting position. He started to say something to her when a giant, unseen fist slammed into his chest, knocking him backwards. He had just enough time to wonder what the hell had happened when the blinding pain hit. Horatio mercifully passed out.

NO! Calleigh wasn't sure if she screamed out loud or not as she stared at Horatio. Her senses seemed to be failing. The last thing she'd heard was the deafeningly loud report of a rifle behind her and now everything was silent. Horror-stricken, she stared at the growing bloodstain across his chest and then spun back towards the shooter, extending the pistol as she turned. It would be her death. She no longer cared.

Dizzy from the sudden move, Calleigh blinked in confusion. Milo Burrus had dropped his rifle and was stumbling sideways as if the world had suddenly tipped. Her vision was going in and out of focus giving him a rippling effect and nauseating her at the same time. She turned her head the other way in time to see an ominously dark figure rushing towards her and Horatio. Her hand came up and she squeezed the trigger. The pistol jumped but she still couldn't hear anything. The figure suddenly disappeared. She scanned the rest of the clearing and saw with dread that more and more dark-clad beings were appearing. She kept the pistol tracking back and forth, knowing there were too many but determined to keep Death at bay for as long as possible. They'd have to take her first before she'd let them get to Horatio.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks again for the reviews! On with the story…

Chapter 8

Saturday,

11:35 am

"Son of a ...! Pull back! Everybody pull back!" Montrose barked into his headset. He turned towards the park ranger Calleigh had shot, "How is he, Harrelson?" Their team had arrived in time to see Milo Burrus shoot Horatio. Both Montrose and Price had their weapons up and had taken Burrus down before either Eric or Ryan could react. Alpha team had shown up a few seconds later and it was one of park rangers that had made the mistake of running towards Calleigh.

Harrelson, the SWAT officer tending to the man, raised his head, "Winded but okay. The vest caught it."

"Okay," Montrose keyed his mike again, "Paulo, Johnny, take your squads and find that third shooter. Everyone else maintain your position while we figure this out." He turned and glared at Delko and Wolfe, "Any ideas? The Medivac can't land until we secure the site. I don't know how bad your Lieutenant is but he probably can't wait until she passes out."

Eric shook his head while rubbing the back of his neck. He was somewhat at a loss. Of all the scenarios he'd worried about, having Calleigh holding off her rescuers while standing guard over a wounded Horatio was one he'd never envisioned. She wasn't paying any attention to their yells and waving just attracted the business end of Cal's pistol. He straightened slightly as an idea occurred and turned back to Montrose, "Could you have someone get behind Calleigh without being seen and fire a round in the air?"

The Sergeant stared at him, "Are you kidding? You want to see how fast she can turn around and shoot somebody else? Either way, it won't be enough time to get close enough to disarm her."

Eric scowled, "Look, I don't think she's purposely ignoring our yelling. Either she's not hearing us at all or what she is hearing isn't making any sense. She's gotta be out of her head with fever by now. Those psychopaths have been chasing her, Horatio was shot right in front of her and now a bunch of guys in black are surrounding her. She's in the middle of her worst nightmare."

He and Wolfe stood anxiously and watched as Montrose dispatched an officer. As Eric had halfway expected, Calleigh never reacted to the gunshot behind her, she was keying on movement. Making up his mind, Delko began unfastening his vest. Ryan stared at him, "Man, what are you doing?"

Eric pulled off the vest and the helmet and then unzipped the front of the jumpsuit, "I'm going to give Calleigh a familiar face to look at." He pulled his arms out of the sleeves and let the top half of the suit hang off the back. His white t-shirt was splotchy with sweat.

Ryan couldn't help grinning at his colleague, "Good thing you stopped there. If you'd stripped down to your underwear, Calleigh just might shoot you on principle."

"Ha ha," Eric rolled his eyes at the younger man and then frowned, "What do you think you're doing?"

Ryan was shrugging out of his vest, "Well, you know what they say, 'stupidity loves company.' Besides, you're a bigger target. I figure I'm safe."

Eric shook his head as Ryan finished undressing, "It's 'misery loves company', genius, and you know how Calleigh loves a challenge. You'll be first on her list." He was grateful for Wolfe's stalwart support.

They turned to find Sergeant Montrose standing in their way, "What the hell do you two think you're doing?"

"We're going to convince Calleigh to let us help her and H." Eric felt his temper rising. He wasn't nearly as sure about this as he sounded but something had to be done. If Horatio died because she kept him from getting medical attention in time, Eric was sure they'd lose her, too. It wouldn't matter that she couldn't be held accountable, he knew how Calleigh was. The knowledge would kill her one way or the other.

"Are you out of your mind, too? Put those vests back on. I've had enough people shot today."

Eric stubbornly shook his head, "No, she's not used to seeing either of us in a vest. We need to be like this if we're going to get close." Montrose looked unconvinced and Eric heaved a frustrated sigh, "Listen, if you've got a better idea I'm all for it; otherwise, let us go. We've got to get to Horatio."

Beside him, Ryan was nodding in agreement as they skirted around the Sergeant, "If you really want to stop us, you'll have to shoot before Calleigh does. We're going."

Shoulders tense, Eric walked slowly out into the open with Ryan close behind. Immediately, Calleigh focused on him, pistol aimed right at his chest. He hesitated for a fraction of a second and then tried to walk like he normally did when approaching a crime scene - in a way, he was. Eric watched his feet as he trudged forward, listening to Wolfe's footsteps to the side and just behind. It sounded like the younger CSI was being just as careful. Sudden moves would probably make her react and death by clumsy wasn't how Eric wanted to go. When he got close enough, Delko looked up with that half-grin he reserved just for her, "Hey Cal, what have we got?"

The pistol was wavering between the two of them but he could see the confusion on her face. His relief grew stronger as he saw recognition begin to dawn as well. Eric took a chance and looked down at Horatio. His breath caught. Son of a bitch! Ignoring Calleigh, he hurried forward and dropped to his knees by his brother-in-law's side. Shaking slightly, he reached out to check the pulse in Horatio's neck and then breathed a quick 'thank-you' skyward when he felt it under his fingertips. Eric pulled off his t-shirt and ripped it in half while glancing back at Wolfe, "Give me a hand here, we gotta stop the bleeding." At the range Horatio had been shot, Delko figured it was a through and through. Together, they carefully rolled him on his side. Eric had been right, there was a hole in his back as well. Wadding up the t-shirt, Eric put it in place. When they had Horatio on his back again, he put the other half of the shirt on the chest wound and gestured to Ryan, "You keep pressure on this while I talk to Calleigh."

Ryan nodded wordlessly. Eric finally turned towards the blonde. He couldn't help wincing as he took in her appearance. H wasn't the only one in the need of medical attention. At least the pistol was now pointed at the ground. He spoke slowly, figuring she couldn't understand him but unable to help himself. Hopefully, Calleigh would realize his intent, "We need to get you and Horatio to a hospital right now." He stretched a hand out towards the pistol, "You're safe. Give me the gun." He froze when she tensed and then continued slowly forward. Eric finally relaxed when she let him take the pistol. He looked over his shoulder and bellowed, "I need medical up here NOW!"

"Eric?" Calleigh's voice was barely recognizable.

He looked back in time to see her collapsing in on herself and scrambled forward. He got to her before she went all the way down. Eric wound up sitting on the ground with Calleigh half in his lap.

"How is she?" Ryan asked from his position by Horatio. The sound of a helicopter was rapidly drawing closer and the remaining SWAT officers and park rangers were moving in, too.

"Way too hot," Eric answered tightly, one hand on her forehead as he cradled her in his arms. Even though she'd told him about her injuries, it was a shock to see them. Her wrists and forearm were a disgusting, oozing mix of blood and pus. The Medivac chopper couldn't get here fast enough.

He tightened his grip slightly as Montrose and Price came up. Sergeant Montrose still looked annoyed, "The paramedics should be here in a couple of minutes. We still haven't located the third shooter, Price is going to stay with you while we secure the perimeter." He started to move off and then looked over his shoulder, "Pull another stupid stunt like this on my watch and I'll be the one to shoot you."

Price watched his team leader leave and then glanced back at Eric, "He's kidding... I think." He looked at Calleigh, "Man, she's just a little bit of thing, isn't she?" Price nodded towards Horatio, "How's your lieutenant doing?"

"Still with us," Ryan answered, "but the sooner the paramedics get here, the happier I'll be."

"I hear you," Price agreed, "It's been a helluva day." He glanced over his shoulder at the helicopter that was just touching down, "Just a few more minutes." His head came back around at a shout from one of the other officers.

"Hey! This one's still breathing!" An officer was crouched next to Milo Burrus.

"Good," Eric muttered fiercely. Ryan gave him a look and he shook his head, "Calleigh put that SOB in jail once, now she can put him there again." He relaxed a little as two EMTs came running up.

One stopped at Horatio, while the other knelt down by Calleigh. He flashed Eric a quick smile before turning his attention to the blonde, "I'm Jeff. How long has she been unconscious?"

"Eric and this is Calleigh. She's been out for maybe three, four minutes."

"Mmm-hmm," Jeff nodded as he began taking her vitals. He made a face as he pulled the bandage off her arm and tossed it to the side, "That's nasty." He quickly cleaned what he could. Eric decided Calleigh remaining unconscious was a good thing. The paramedic wasn't being rough but he wasn't being particularly gentle either. It was probably painful as hell. Jeff finally wrapped the wounds with fresh bandages and scribbled some notes before looking over at his partner, "Trev, you need any help?" The other EMT shook his head, continuing his work. Jeff stood up.

Eric looked at him in confusion, "Where are you going?"

Jeff gave him an apologetic look, "I gotta go check the other victim."

He turned and nearly ran into Price who stared at him, stony-faced, "She's a cop and that 'victim' you're so anxious to look at is the one that did all that to her AND shot the Lieutenant. Screw him."

The EMT scowled, "I don't like it either but my job is to take care of the injured and that means all of them, not just the good guys." He waited for the SWAT officer to move and when Price didn't budge, went around him. He glanced over his shoulder at Eric, "Look, she's sick but her condition isn't critical. I'll be back."

Eric let out a frustrated breath as the EMT trotted off. Ryan came over and squatted down next to them, reaching out to smooth back a stray tendril of hair from Calleigh's face, "Damn, I can't believe she's still out." He looked over to where Burrus was lying, "Did he do anything for her at all?"

"Not a hell of a lot," Eric said, his voice a low growl. He shook his head and looked at Ryan, "How's H?"

Ryan glanced over his shoulder, "The paramedic thinks he'll live, said the bullet didn't hit his heart or lungs. His eyes were open for a little bit but he's pretty out of it. He's about ready to load on the chopper. I'm gonna help move him." His head came up a little higher when the EMT looked towards him, "That's my cue, I'll be back in a bit."

Eric watched as the two men lifted Horatio onto one of the stretchers the EMTs had brought and then picked it up and headed for the chopper. He looked back down at Calleigh, reassuring himself she was still breathing. It worried him that she hadn't so much as twitched since she went down. That couldn't be good. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head and saw Jeff coming back. He couldn't help the scowl that started at the look on the man's face.

Jeff cleared his throat and looked at Eric, resolutely ignoring Price, "Okay, here's the thing. We only have room to transport two victims at a time."

Eric's voice lowered dangerously, "Don't go there."

The EMT shifted his feet, managing to look apologetic and angry at the same time, "Look, I'm sorry. I don't like it either but gunshot wounds trump fever. That guy will die if we don't get him to the hospital now."

"Let him," Price snapped before Eric could answer.

Jeff glared at the SWAT officer, "That's not how it works. I told you before, we go by severity, not who the hell they are." He looked back at Eric, "We'll be back as quick as we can, forty-five minutes to an hour, tops."

"What about another Medivac chopper?" Eric was trying to control his temper. This was unbelievable.

Jeff shook his head, "The other crew is tied up at a multiple on the Interstate. It would take even longer."

"Then, goddammit, do something for her! Or tell me what to do - she's burning up!" Eric was livid. It was already hot and growing hotter as the day progressed and Calleigh had yet to break a sweat. How high did someone's temperature have to go before there was damage? He couldn't remember.

Jeff flushed, "I can start her on a wide-spectrum antibiotic but it probably won't do much. The docs will need to do a blood culture to really see what's going on. I'll leave some cold packs, too. We'll be back as quick as we can," he repeated.

"Yeah, fine, whatever," Eric turned to Price. "Can we rig up some sort of shelter to get her out of the sun?"

"Sure," Price pointedly ignored the EMT as he keyed his headset and spoke quietly into it.

Alexx pulled the last of the clothes out of the dryer and folded them into the basket. It was her day off and she couldn't stand the thought of just hanging around the lab waiting for news. Natalia and Tripp were there but they actually had something to occupy their time - they were searching for the man who'd taken Calleigh from the crime scene and attempting to identify the corpse from the Hummer.

"Mom! Your cell phone's ringing!" Her daughter, Janey, called from the family room where she was watching TV with her brother.

Alexx dumped what she was folding into the basket and raced to grab her phone. She turned around and walked back out of the room as she answered, not wanting her children to see her if the news was bad. She'd seen Eric's name on the ID. That it wasn't Horatio had put a knot in her stomach. "Eric? What's wrong?"

"Too much," was Eric's blunt response. Alexx listened with growing dismay as Eric told her about Horatio, Calleigh and the EMTs' decision about transport. She could understand the why but it didn't make it any easier to deal with.

"How bad was Horatio?" She'd been shocked but somehow not surprised to hear he'd been shot. The man had been putting himself in dangerous situations more and more lately. Alexx hadn't been able to penetrate the walls he'd thrown up after Marisol. She didn't know if he felt he had to personally remove dangerous criminals from society as penance or if the man just had some sort of subconscious need to thumb his nose at death.

It had worried her and scared Calleigh to the point where the blonde had gotten into with him a month or so ago. That had been a day that stood out for Alexx. Thinking about it later, she decided Calleigh had been primed for a confrontation for weeks. Horatio had been dumping more and more responsibilities on her shoulders as he continued to isolate himself. After Marisol's murder, his withdrawal had been understandable but then the days had turned into weeks. Calleigh had taken on the increased burden without any noticeable complaints but Alexx knew she was feeling the strain of handling both her own job and Horatio's.

Then a murder case had led to terrorists, of all things. Horatio had once again managed to put himself in the middle of everything, blowing up a truck filled with explosives before it could reach the nuclear power plant. Calleigh had discovered the information that lead to uncovering the plot and also gotten herself shot by one of the suspects. Alexx had thanked God the woman had had the foresight to wear kevlar and when she finally made it back to the lab, had reamed her friend a new one for taking such a risk in the first place. That the incident had shaken Calleigh more than she was letting on was apparent when she finally allowed Alexx to examine her shoulder and confirm nothing was broken. The bruise where the bullet had struck was nasty enough and the ME knew it had to hurt like hell. By rights, Calleigh should have gone on medical leave. She couldn't raise her arm past shoulder level but Alexx knew just how good her friend was at putting up a front. The ME's exam was unofficial and the blonde clearly had no intentions of going anywhere near any other medical personnel. It had been completely exasperating.

Later, when Horatio had returned to the lab, whatever triumph he might have felt at cheating death once again disappeared when Alexx told him about Calleigh. He'd tracked his ballistics expert to the break room. According to the grapevine, it had started out reasonably enough. Horatio had been calm as he listened to her take on the situation and Calleigh had remained calm when he reprimanded her for not following protocol and taking along backup. It was when Horatio had chided her about unnecessary risks that calm had flown out the window. Calleigh had uncharacteristically let loose with both barrels - pointing out his own numerous transgressions in that department. God only knew how far she'd have gotten if Ryan Wolfe hadn't walked in. They'd both shut up and Horatio had taken the opportunity to retreat to his office.

"Alexx?"

Alexx blinked, "I'm sorry, baby. What did you just say?"

"It's okay, Alexx," Eric sighed, "This whole thing is surreal. I said that Horatio's on his way to the Ryder Trauma Center. Ryan thought he was starting to wake up when they loaded him on the chopper. It's Calleigh I'm worried about. We've got the cold packs on her but she's still burning up."

"Has she been awake at all?" Alexx rubbed her forehead. Ryder was the best in the business and Horatio was far too stubborn to die. That was a potent combination that boded well for their friend. Now if they could just get Calleigh there.

Eric hesitated slightly, glancing at Ryan who'd scrounged water and a cloth and was carefully trying to remove the worst of the dirt. "A little. She's not making much sense - she mumbled something about pie and tea but I don't think she's talking about food." He turned away a little and lowered his voice, "That's not good, is it?"

"No, no it's not," Alexx found herself back in the laundry room and leaned against washing machine. She knew better than to make a diagnosis over the phone but, considering Calleigh's injuries and how long they'd been untreated, the signs could be pointing towards sepsis. "Did the paramedic do anything for her before he left?"

"He gave her a shot, said it was an antibiotic. I don't think it's working." Eric looked back to find Calleigh moving restlessly again.

"Don't worry, it is. It takes time for antibiotics to to have an effect but it should be a good start," Alexx tried to sound reassuring, "Keep the cold packs on her and try to keep her calm. It'll be okay."

"Alright," Eric nodded even though she couldn't see him. "Thanks, Alexx. I'll let you know when they finally pick her up." He ended the call and looked at Wolfe, "She said to keep doing what we're doing. The antibiotic takes a while to kick in."

"That's something," Ryan said a bit sourly. He couldn't believe the EMTs had left Calleigh and taken Burrus. Pouring a little more water on the cloth and wringing it out, he continued wiping away the dirt. "Did you see the bruises on her neck? One of those bastards tried to strangle her."

Eric nodded grimly, "At least she got away from them."

Ryan frowned slightly, "Yeah." He paused, deciding this might be his best opportunity, "Hey Eric, umm, what H told us about Calleigh and these guys back in Louisiana, did she... did you... know about any of it?"

Eric looked at him until Ryan was shifting uncomfortably and then relented, "No, Calleigh's never talked much about growing up." He arched an eyebrow, "I've never heard about your childhood either."

"That's 'cos it was boring," Ryan replied defensively and then smiled at Calleigh as her eyes opened again, "Hey Cal, how are you feeling?" A moment later, he and Eric were trying to keep her in place as she struggled.

"Calleigh! Cal! It's okay. Take it easy," Eric kept his voice as soothing as he could. She went limp suddenly, as if this latest effort had expended the last of her strength and Eric found himself feeling a little more frantic. What if she was dying? Anger followed that thought. Honest to God, if Calleigh died in the middle of this stinking swamp and Burrus lived, he'd find that by-the-book EMT and shoot him.

"Eric? Eric!"

Ryan's voice penetrated the turmoil and Delko looked over at the younger man, "What?"

Wolfe's voice was gentle, "She's still with us, man. Try to relax."

He looked pointedly at Eric's hand and the Cuban immediately loosened his grip on Calleigh's shoulder. This was going to be the longest damn hour of his life.


	9. Chapter 9

Once again, I'd like to thank all of you who took the time to write a review. It's always nice to get feedback. Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.

Chapter 9

Saturday,

12:50 pm

With difficulty, Horatio pried open his eyes and stared at the unfamiliar surroundings. It was noisy as hell, with a deep rhythmic thumping overlaying everything. It seemed to coincide with the throbbing pain he was feeling and he wondered vaguely if one stopped, would the other? For the life of him, he couldn't figure out where he was or how he'd gotten here. Letting his eyes drift shut, he tried to recall his last clear memory. It didn't want to surface. Apparently, his mind was more concerned with his immediate condition and was busily cataloguing how much he hurt. What had happened?

Frustrated with the lack of answers, Horatio forced his eyes open again. It seemed ridiculous that such a small thing could be so exhausting. What would happen if he tried to move his head? Alarm coursed through him when it didn't want to move at all. He stiffened and that brought on a new wave of pain, making him gasp.

"Lieutenant? Take it easy. We're almost to Ryder."

An unfamiliar face appeared above his and Horatio stared at him in confusion. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. The face seemed to understand, however. "My name's Trevor. I'm an EMT and I've been taking care of you. You were in a helicopter crash and shot twice." Trevor grinned slightly, "This hasn't been your best day but things are looking up. We've got you stabilized and we're on our way to the Ryder Trauma Center. They'll take good care of you so there's nothing to worry about."

Shot? A helicopter crash? What the hell? Horatio took those little tidbits of information and tried to force them through the haze that was obscuring his memory. Something was missing. No, someone was missing and he found himself growing increasingly anxious. Trevor's face appeared above his again. He was wearing a stethoscope this time, "Lieutenant? Try to calm down. Everything's going to be okay."

"Wha...?" Had he actually made a sound? He couldn't tell. Horatio was surprised to see the EMT's eyes shift uncomfortably sideways.

"Look, it'll be okay. As soon as we drop you and the, umm, other patient off, we're going right back for her. We had to prioritize. You know how that is."

Horatio blinked slowly, trying to digest what he'd just heard. Going back for her? Her who? Back where? Wait, another patient? Concentrating fiercely, he managed to tip his head a little to the side. Across the narrow aisle, another EMT was kneeling beside an unshaven, dark-haired man. Horatio blinked again. There was something wrong here and it was hovering just out of reach. It had to do with the other man, he was sure. What was it? His mind wasn't cooperating, wasn't concentrating on the matter at hand and that was making him angry. He encouraged the anger, it would help him focus.

'Prioritize', that's what Trevor had said and he hadn't looked especially happy about it. Horatio was somehow certain that the other man hadn't been on the helicopter with him. It didn't feel right. For that matter, what had he been doing in a helicopter in the first place? He was fairly sure it wasn't a commonplace event. If he could answer that, perhaps other things would fall into line. A wave of exhaustion swept over him just then and Horatio found his eyes closing of their own accord. He didn't have the strength to fight it and drifted off once more. Images began appearing as he sank deeper and then, suddenly, he knew. It was Calleigh. Prioritize? Dammit, he'd just been through hell to find his ballistics expert and they'd gone and left her behind. He was going to have someone's ass!

Saturday,

1:30 pm

Alexx hurried into the Ryder Trauma Center and headed for the reception desk. "Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade PD?"

The woman checked her computer and then nodded, "Brought in about twenty minutes ago." She looked back up and pointed towards a hallway, "The waiting room is down that corridor on the left."

Alexx smiled her thanks and then paused, "Can you tell me if Gavin Sapporo is here today?"

The receptionist raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Let me check... Yes, he's in. Would you like me to page him for you?"

Alexx shook her head, "That's not necessary but I'd appreciate it if you'd leave him a message. Tell him Dr. Alexx Woods is here and that I'll be in the waiting room."

The woman nodded again, "I'll let him know, Dr. Woods."

Alexx turned and walked down the corridor. When she reached the waiting room, she was surprised to see Yelena Salas pacing back and forth. Alexx stopped in the doorway, "Yelena?"

Yelena turned quickly towards the door at the sound of her name, "Alexx!"

"Have you heard anything?" Both women spoke at once and then paused. Alexx answered first as she walked into the room, "I only know that he's here but that's a good thing in itself. These people have an exceptional record with patient survival."

"That's a relief," Yelena rubbed her forehead as her shoulders sagged. "I was so scared when I got the call. All I could think was that I was going to lose Horatio, too."

Alexx smiled gently, "Now you know that man's too stubborn to leave this world. You have to have faith."

Yelena gave a slightly unladylike snort and then shot Alexx an apologetic look, "Sorry, it's just a little hard these days." She dropped into a chair and looked up at the ME, "How did this happen?"

Alexx hesitated slightly. Yelena was no longer with Miami-Dade PD, did she know about Horatio's personal crusade? On the other hand, he was family. Yelena could very well be aware of the chances her brother-in-law had been taking lately in his relentless pursuit of justice. She perched on the chair next to the former detective, "Yesterday, around noon, Calleigh left a crime scene and vanished. Horatio and Frank found her Hummer abandoned and torched nearly six hours later." Alexx took a deep breath, remembering the roiling emotions, "There was a badly burned corpse in the front seat."

"Oh my god, it wasn't - ?" Yelena interrupted, her eyes wide in shock.

Alexx shook her head, "No it wasn't, but someone went to a lot of trouble to make us think it was her. They'd found a blonde woman who was similar in height and build and then dressed the body with Calleigh's badge, gun, watch and jewelry. It took another couple of hours to figure it out. We had to go with DNA for identification."

"So Horatio was shot rescuing Calleigh from her kidnappers?" Yelena was scowling now.

Alexx eyed her carefully, "Not exactly. Calleigh had escaped, killing one of them, but was wounded in the process. She also got hold of a cell phone and called Eric. She was in the 'Glades but didn't know where. Horatio notified SWAT and the Park Service to coordinate a Search and Rescue at first light. MDPD sent a helicopter to help and Horatio joined the pilot on the air search."

Yelena gave her head a shake, looking confused, "Then how... ?"

"The men who took Calleigh were trying to get her back. They must have been close when Horatio spotted her because they started shooting at the copter and forced it down. The pilot died and Horatio was hurt. Everything happened pretty quickly after that. Calleigh reached the crash site first, the men chasing her got there next and opened fire. SWAT arrived in time to see Horatio get hit for the second time and they shot the one man. Horatio had already killed another one and they're still looking for the third." Alexx paused, looking at the woman, "The Medivac helicopter was on standby, so they got to Horatio quickly. That's an important point in his favor. Treatment in the first hour of trauma makes all the difference in surviving and the doctors and staff here are the best. He's going to be fine."

"This time," Yelena stood up abruptly and began pacing again.

Alexx watched in sympathy. Apparently, Yelena did know what Horatio had been doing lately. "This time," she agreed. "I know how he's been since Marisol... "

"Marisol," Yelena spun towards the ME, her anger finally beginning to show. "This isn't just because of Marisol. It's because of his damned obsession with his team and the lab! He keeps losing more and more of himself. It's got to stop!" She raked her hands through her hair, "He should have let SWAT do their job."

"I agree," Alex began, her tone placating, "But you know he would have never forgiven himself if they hadn't gotten to Calleigh in time."

"Oh, believe me, I know," Yelena's voice was biting. She pinned Alexx with a laser glare, "He loves her, doesn't he?"

"What? Well, yes, but not..." Alexx was taken aback at the accusation.

Yelena whipped a hand through the air, cutting Alexx off, "Spare me the rationalizations. I've seen this before. Poor, pitiful Calleigh - the center of everyone's attention and it's not enough. She knows exactly how to reel Horatio in by playing the victim. He'll do anything for her - including getting himself killed."

"That's not true! Calleigh's not like that... she'd never do such a thing - and neither would Horatio." Alexx's voice spluttered in disbelief. Horatio and Calleigh? Well, certainly it was possible. They were good friends and Alexx knew how much Calleigh admired and respected the man; probably loved him as well, but not in the way Yelena was suggesting. In any case, while he cared deeply for Calleigh, Horatio would never cross that sort of line with his protege. Besides, Alexx knew how much he regretted the falling out between Calleigh and Eric.

The past fourteen months had been hellish for everyone but Calleigh had taken additional blows. Tim's death, the nightmare caused by Owens coupled with the ensuing breakup with Eric and, finally, Hagan's suicide had driven the woman deep behind her defenses and nearly out of the lab altogether. Horatio had managed to stop her from running, but it had taken both he and Alexx's steadfast, unconditional support to bring her back. The ME had been saddened by the seeming distance between Calleigh and Eric, even as she understood it. Despite outward appearances, Calleigh had been an emotional wreck. She'd adamantly refused to 'inflict' herself upon Eric and, Alexx, after realizing she couldn't change the blonde's mind, had offered herself as a much-needed sounding board for both her friends. Calleigh, surprisingly, had taken her up on it, Eric had not, instead choosing to move on. The only ray of hope in the whole sorry situation was the fact that the two managed to maintain their friendship. It wasn't exactly what it used to be but Alexx hoped that over time, they'd regain what they had. "This is not her fault and you know Horatio would have done the same thing for any of us."

Yelena shook her head, "Of course it's her fault! She couldn't stand not being the center of Horatio's attention and when Mari died, she sunk her hooks in him! All she had to do is crook a finger and he'd kill himself trying to get to her and that's what happened here."

"You're wrong. The last thing Calleigh would want would be to see Horatio hurt." Alexx's voice was tight with anger and disbelief as she stood up. Granted, Yelena was upset but these accusations were ridiculous.

"Excuse me."

Yelena and Alexx turned to see a middle-aged woman standing in the doorway. She stepped forward, "My name is Dorrie Fitzhugh. I'm the patient liaison for Horatio Caine. Is one of you Yelena Salas?"

"I am," Yelena stepped forward, "How is he? Will he be alright?"

"He's still in surgery. It looks like it will be a few hours. From there, Lt. Caine will go to Recovery and then to his room. You'll be able to see him after that. His doctor will meet with you then to go over his condition and what's being done. In the meantime, why don't we sit down and I'll tell how we do things here at the Trauma Center and try to answer any other questions you might have."

"Alexx?"

Alexx turned towards the door again and smiled, "Gavin, it's good to see you."

Gavin smiled back, "I could wish the circumstances were better. How are you?" He turned slightly so she could walk past him into the corridor.

"I've been better," Alexx said frankly, "So you know about Horatio?"

He nodded, "Dorrie told me. He's in good hands, if that's any comfort." They walked down the hallway together.

"I know and it is," Alexx took a deep breath, "I wasn't sure if you knew but Calleigh Duquesne should be arriving here soon, too."

"Well, it will be good to see her again." At the look Alexx gave him, Gavin's eyebrows rose, "You mean as a patient? Good grief, I didn't think being a Crime Scene Investigator was so dangerous. Was she with Lt. Caine?"

"More like the other way around," Alexx stopped and looked at him, "This didn't start out with a current case. Back when Calleigh was a teenager, she testified against three brothers and put them in prison. The last one was released finally and they came here, looking for revenge." The ME glanced down at the floor with a sigh, "They nearly got it, too."

"Wait a minute," Gavin frowned, "Are you saying she was badly hurt? And she wasn't transported with Lt. Caine?"

It was hard to keep the bitterness out of her voice, "The man who shot Horatio was severely wounded by SWAT officers. There wasn't room for three patients on the helicopter. The paramedics decided he was a higher priority than Calleigh." Alexx shook her head, "It's a long story. Do you have time?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile, "Of course." He gestured down the hallway, "I'll even spring for the coffee. No offense but you look like you could use a cup."

Alexx raised an eyebrow before smiling back, "I could use something, that's for sure."

"Good. Hang on a second, I need to call Admittance and let them know to notify me when Ms. Duquesne is on her way in." Gavin pulled out his phone and punched in a number. It only took a few moments and then he was pocketing the phone again, "Shall we?"

Saturday,

5:00 pm

Eric looked up from his position by Calleigh's bed and smiled a little, "'Bout time, Wolfe. You walk the whole way?"

"Funny, Delko," Ryan looked exhausted. "I stuck around to keep an eye on the swing shift while they processed the scene." He nodded towards Calleigh as he dropped into the chair Eric pushed towards him, "How is she?"

The Cuban's expression grew more somber, "Not great. Her fever's still up and she's been delirious the few times she's been awake. Alexx said the infection's in her bloodstream and that's making it harder to fight."

"Damn," Ryan rubbed his jaw as he glanced towards the door, "Where is Alexx? She still here?"

Eric shook his head, "No. I told her I'd keep an eye on Cal. She needed to get home to her family. She'll be back tomorrow morning. Mr. Duquesne's here. He went to make some phone calls. He should be back pretty soon. I talked to Natalia, too. She and Tripp are going to stop by a little later. They think they've figured out who grabbed Calleigh from the scene."

"That's something. Did they say who? Was it a cop?" Ryan leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair.

"Don't know, Natalia didn't say." Both men stopped talking as Calleigh shifted, muttering quietly.

Ryan glanced at Eric, "You catch any of that?"

Eric shook his head, "Not really - pie, maybe? I don't know if she's talking about the mathematical pi or the eating kind. Neither one makes much sense."

"It's her brother, my youngest son."

Eric and Ryan turned to see Kenwall Duquesne standing in the doorway. Ryan raised an eyebrow, "You named your son, Pie?"

Duke smiled tiredly as he walked into the room, "His given name is Roger Earl but everyone calls him Pie. He went through a bit of a crime spree when he was around five years old. Liberated a number of pies from windowsills - we swore he was going to turn into one. The name stuck." He nodded gratefully when Eric stood up and offered his chair, "Thank you." Once he'd sat down, Duke turned to Ryan and stuck out a hand, "I've already thanked Eric. I'd like to thank you too, young man, for rescuing my daughter. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost her."

Ryan shrugged a little uncomfortably as he shook the older man's hand, "I don't think I did all that much, Horatio's the one you probably need to thank, but you're welcome. I'm just glad we've got her back. Calleigh means a lot to all of us." He glanced at Eric, hoping to change the subject, "How is H? Have you seen him yet?"

Delko shrugged a little, "Just for a few minutes, he was asleep. They're only letting family in right now. Yelena's with him, but I heard he's supposed to make a full recovery."

"That's good," Ryan looked relieved. "Maybe they'll let the rest of us see him tomorrow." He paused for a moment and gave Eric a quizzical look. The other CSI's expression had altered slightly when Ryan mentioned seeing Horatio, "What?"

"Nothing."

Ryan didn't miss how Eric's gaze traveled towards Calleigh nor the warning look that clearly said 'Not now.' He made a show of rubbing his neck and glanced from Kenwall to Eric, "How's the food around here? I'm starving."

"The cafeteria's down on the second floor and the food's pretty good. I'll come along, I could use a cup of coffee. Can we bring you anything, Mr. Duquesne?" Eric was the image of nonchalant politeness.

"I've told you before, it's Duke, young man," Kenwall admonished mildly, "And, thank you, no. I'll float out of here if I drink any more coffee. You boys go along. We'll be fine." He reached out and rested a light hand on Calleigh's shoulder.

Ryan waited until he and Eric were walking down the corridor before looking at his colleague, "What's going on?"

Eric frowned, "It's Yelena. Alexx says she's blaming Calleigh for H getting shot."

"That's crazy," Ryan's voice rose in surprise. "She should know better than that."

"Preaching to the choir, man," Delko looked down at the floor as he walked. "I'm hoping once H is awake, he'll set her straight and let Calleigh see him because you can bet Yelena won't give permission."

"Damn, then Horatio better wake up first. You know if Calleigh can't see him, she'll be thinking the worst," Wolfe sighed as they continued to the cafeteria.

Saturday,

6:20 pm

Horatio blinked suddenly and stared up at the strange ceiling. Where was he? What had happened? He felt like hell. Either he'd been on an award-winning bender and this was the mother of all hangovers or he'd been on the receiving end of something catastrophic. Slowly, he became more aware of his surroundings. Judging from the bland walls and background sounds of whirring and beeping, he was leaning towards catastrophe - which meant he was in a hospital - which meant he'd forgotten to duck - which meant that someone would be yelling at him now that it was apparent he hadn't died. There was a certain morbid curiosity in trying to predict who'd get to him first with a lecture. Alexx, certainly, would have lots to say and God knew, Calleigh wasn't shy about expressing her opinion either. Horatio paused a moment, wondering why the thought of Calleigh gave his insides a sudden twist. What was he forgetting?

"Horatio?"

Yelena. He'd gotten a bit of a reprieve. She had a fiery temper but wasn't given to lectures - at least, not with him. Horatio shifted his eyes towards her voice, the rest of him didn't feel up to the effort just yet. He made an attempt at a smile, "Hi." His voice came out in a rasping whisper and he winced at the soreness of his throat. Horatio did his best to suppress the cough that followed. The little bit that escaped felt like daggers in his chest and he squeezed his eyes shut against the pain.

"Don't try to talk," Yelena's voice came closer. He opened his eyes to see her in his line of vision. "You're in a hospital. Do you remember what happened?" She took the blank look on his face as a 'no', "You were shot - twice. Once in the chest and the other grazed your back and hit you in the upper right arm. You were in surgery for a couple of hours but the doctor says you should make a full recovery - provided you rest." She added the last part in that no-nonsense tone she usually reserved for Ray, Jr. Yelena held up a glass with a straw in it, "Would you like a drink? The nurse said your throat would probably be a little sore." He managed to tip his head in an approximation of a nod and she put the straw to his lips and held the glass steady. Once he was finished, she placed a hand on his forehead and brushed his hair back, "Go back to sleep. Everything is okay." Yelena waited until his eyes closed before settling back in the chair again. Ray, Jr. was with her mother so she didn't have to hurry back. She'd wait until Horatio was truly asleep before stepping out to give her son an update on his uncle.

The difficult part would be when the rest of his team wanted to see him. For now, it wasn't an issue. The hospital was only allowing family at the moment. That would change in the next day or so as his condition improved. She couldn't really ban the lot of them. Horatio would be furious if she tried and truly, the only one she didn't want seeing him was Calleigh Duquesne. She didn't think she could ever forgive that little blonde minx for nearly getting Horatio killed. Losing Raymond, twice, had been hard enough. Yelena frowned as she shifted to a more comfortable position. She knew Alexx Woods had been shocked by her attitude towards the ballistics expert, but facts were facts. She knew Horatio had feelings for the woman and God knew he could never resist a damsel in distress. Duquesne was well aware of that trait and had used it, resulting in Horatio's present condition. If the man couldn't see what was going on then it was up to her. She would protect him to the best of her ability.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sunday,

9:30 am

Calleigh slowly opened her eyes and squinted at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Lambchop?" Kenwall smiled as she finally tilted her head towards him. He was sure these past couple of days taken years from his life. He'd yet to make up his mind which was worse - not knowing what had happened to his daughter and fearing the worst, or knowing and having his fears confirmed. Thank god for the people Calleigh worked with. They were an extended family in every sense of the word. No one had actually said anything but they kept an eye on him, kept him from sinking into that despair that presaged his bouts of drinking. Kenwall had clung to the warmth of their bond with Calleigh and they'd generously included him in their circle for the sake of his daughter. While Calleigh's choice of profession scared him, he would be forever grateful for the colleagues who obviously cared deeply for her.

When Calleigh didn't smile back, Kenwall's own faltered slightly. He took a steadying breath, "Hey there, how're you feeling?" He'd talked to her doctors early this morning when he'd first gotten in. They were cautiously optimistic about conquering the infection. Her fever was down a bit from its dangerous levels but far from gone. It was anybody's guess on her mental state. Kenwall had hopes that this time she would be back in the here and now.

"Daddy?" Calleigh stared at him for a few moments, then her breath caught as her face clouded over and she looked away, "Oh god."

"Sweetheart?" Worried, Kenwall leaned in a little. Was the delirium hanging on? It hadn't been easy sitting and listening to his daughter's fevered ramblings. He'd finally heard her uncensored view of her childhood and it hadn't been pretty. His guilt had grown heavier, knowing how much was his fault. "Lambchop, what's wrong?" She had a white-knuckled grip on the bed sheet and he reached forward to cover her hand with his own.

Calleigh jerked away as he extended his hand towards her and gave him a wide-eyed look. If anything, she looked even more upset, "No! I know you're not really here. You're dead. Everyone's dead and it's my fault. I'm so sorry." She squeezed her eyes shut, causing a tear to trickle down.

He looked at her in surprise, "Darlin', I'm fine. It was just bad dream." Kenwall frowned uneasily when she didn't respond. What the hell was going on? It was like... Duke straightened suddenly, remembering what Eric had told him about her rescue. He raised his voice, "Calleigh?" Again, there was no response. He tried one more time, then got up and headed for the door. He needed to find her doctor. No one had mentioned this, he wasn't sure if they knew. Stepping into the corridor, he hurried towards the nurses' station. Head down, Kenwall paid no attention to the people he passed as he worried over this latest development. The sound of his name being called stopped him and he looked around in confusion.

"Mr. Duquesne?" Alexx repeated as she walked towards the older man. "What's wrong? Is she worse?" Seeing him looking so rattled had sent a wave of fear through her. Bacterial infections were nasty and unpredictable. God knew Calleigh was a strong woman but that was no guarantee against something like this. Physically, she'd been through the wringer although (and here, Alexx had sent more than one grateful prayer skyward) it could have been so much worse. It was Calleigh's mental state that had Alexx worried. Ordinarily, it would be a point in her friend's favor. No doubt because of her past, the blonde had an indefatigable sense of survival. Now, the ME wasn't so sure. The last thing Calleigh had apparently seen was Horatio taking a bullet to the chest. If she believed he was dead, she'd be blaming herself. Grief and guilt could very well be more than she could handle in her weakened condition.

Kenwall relaxed a little as he watched the ME walk towards him. Dr. Woods would know what to do and she always had Calleigh's best interests at heart. He took a moment to compose himself as she reached him, "She doesn't hear me."

"What do you mean?" Alexx frowned, remembering what Eric had said about trying to get to Horatio after he'd been shot.

"I think she's... " Duke hesitated slightly, almost as if he was afraid to say the words out loud, "I don't think she can hear." He ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the floor, "Could the fever damage her hearing? I remember a third cousin back when I was a kid. I think he had scarlet fever or something when he was about five, and afterwards, he was deaf."

"It's possible," Alexx conceded uneasily, "But I don't know if that's what's going on. What did her doctor say?"

"She talked about getting Calleigh's fever down, the toxins in her blood and the antibiotics they would be using. She didn't mention anything about her hearing." Kenwall glanced away, clearly uncomfortable, "You think this is in her head? That she's... not right? Eric told me what happened out there in the 'Glades."

"She's not crazy," Alexx said firmly, "but she's sick and then had an emotional shock watching Horatio get shot. This could be temporary." She hoped so, anyway.

"She's still not making any sense." Kenwall's shoulders sagged a little, "She told me I was dead. She said, 'Everyone's dead' and she thinks it's somehow her fault. I tried telling her it was just a bad dream but she can't hear me. I don't know what to do."

Alexx smiled comfortingly, "Sure you do. You go talk to the doctor and see what she says, just like you were planning. I'll sit with Calleigh until you get back."

Kenwall straightened up slightly, returning Alexx's smile with one of his own, "Thank you." Resolutely, he resumed his trek towards the nurses' station.

Alexx strode towards Calleigh's room and stood for a second or two, looking in. Squaring her shoulders, she walked up to the bed and settled in the chair Kenwall had recently vacated. The blonde had her head turned away and Alexx debated with herself for a moment before reaching forward and lightly touching Calleigh's shoulder. As she halfway expected, her friend jerked away in surprise, while turning to see who was there. Alexx gave her a warm smile, "Hey sweetie." It took a determined effort to hang on to her smile when Calleigh tensed and pulled further away. Clasping her hands together, Alexx leaned in, letting her expression grow serious, "Calleigh, honey, can you hear me?" The silence was all the answer she needed. The ME held up a hand and then dug into her purse, coming up with a pad and pen. A quick glance showed Calleigh watching her with a mixed expression of despair and guilt. Hurriedly, Alexx scribbled out her message and held it up. She held her breath as the blonde frowned slightly.

Calleigh stared at the woman sitting by the bed, suppressing a shiver. It certainly looked like Alexx was truly there but that wasn't possible, was it? She really must be losing her mind this time. This was just another delusion her conscience had churned up, like her father earlier. She'd seen the bodies, the blood, the gore. No one had survived - except her and the Burrus brothers. These silent presences of her family and friends were appearing to drive home the fact that she was responsible for inadvertently leading those bastards to the lab. It had been a bloodbath that she had somehow survived. More than likely that son of a bitch, Milo, had made sure not to kill her so she could live with the deaths of nearly everyone she cared about.

Calleigh knew she was in a hospital although she had no memory of getting there. There were disjointed images of fighting with one of Burruses although it didn't make much sense. It'd been dark and seemed to have been outdoors but that wasn't right, it had to have happened at the lab. The choice of weapon varied, too. Sometimes, she had a knife and other times, a pistol. She closed her eyes and then inhaled sharply as she tried to bring her left hand up to her forehead. Blinking rapidly at the pain, she stared at the bandage covering her forearm. What the hell? Calleigh briefly closed her eyes again as another tremor coursed through. It made her arm ache even more. She almost welcomed it. Anything was better than the overwhelming guilt.

Speaking of which... cautiously, Calleigh shot a glance to the side and then exhaled slowly. That damned illusion of Alexx was still there, watching. When her father had appeared, she'd managed to banish him by keeping her eyes closed for a couple of minutes. Obviously, that wasn't going to work twice. It didn't seem fair that she would have so little control over something that she was fabricating out of her head. If only they didn't watch her in such unnerving silence. That was the worst part - being unable to explain herself and ask for forgiveness. Resolutely, she turned her attention to the door. Maybe she could ignore the image away.

Alexx watched the range of emotions play out across Calleigh's face. It was obvious that her friend didn't believe what she was seeing. The fever must still be affecting her perceptions. From what Mr. Duquesne had said, Calleigh's view of reality involved the deaths of her family and friends. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the shock of seeing Horatio shot had triggered massive guilt. If it had also manifested as some sort of psychosomatic deafness, it could explain why Calleigh didn't think what she was seeing was real. Silent images of supposedly dead friends would seem like a hallucination.

When the blonde apparently settled on ignoring her, Alexx's gaze narrowed. "Oh no, sweetie, you're not getting rid of me that easily." She held out the pad again, jostling the bed with her free hand to get her friend's attention.

Calleigh shivered again as she reluctantly looked to the side. Up until a couple of minutes or so ago, she'd been burning up and now it was like someone had abruptly turned the room into a freezer. She eyed the apparition of Alexx as another chill shook her. She was shoving that damn pad forward again but Calleigh found she couldn't focus enough to read. Teeth chattering, she moaned quietly as her eyes closed. She no longer cared who appeared at her bedside. It didn't matter. She was so cold.

Alexx frowned in worry as the blonde shook with chills. Her temperature was spiking again. The ME knew the doctors were doing everything they could. There just weren't that many treatments available. Bacterial infections were always risky. Young, healthy adults had better odds, of course and fortunately, the bug that had hold of Calleigh was one they could fight. It didn't mean she wasn't still in danger but there was a lot to be said for a patient's will to live. Calleigh's survival was pretty much in her own hands. She would make it through this if that's what she wanted. Alexx leaned in to tuck the blanket more firmly around and then put a hand on Calleigh's forehead. "Baby girl, I don't know what's going on in that mind of yours but don't you dare give up. We need you."

She turned as the door to the room opened revealing Dr. Castellini and Duke. Alexx stood up and met them halfway. She and Castellini were still in the process of feeling each other out. They were completely different personalities and Alexx had the distinct feeling they'd never be friends. Honestly, she didn't much care. The one thing they had in common was a fierce desire to see Calleigh recover. Their approach was different. Castellini saw it as a battle in the constant war of life over death and took almost a personal offense at any setback. Alexx, comfortable with death in all its forms, saw life as a precious gift. She would do everything in her power to keep Calleigh's from being cut short.

"She's got chills. Her temperature's up again," Alexx stated without preamble. Castellini tended to be blunt to the point of rudeness and didn't mind it in others. She was still an exceptionally good doctor.

Castellini nodded, "That's to be expected. It'll be up and down for a bit. We've finally isolated the bacteria and we'll keep after it with the medication. She's strong. There should be a definite improvement in the next twenty-four hours." She folded her arms and glanced at Kenwall, "What's this about her hearing? There's no physical damage, nothing major anyway."

"Wait a minute," Kenwall looked from one woman to the other. "Does that mean there is damage?"

Alexx answered after a glance at Castellini, "Accumulative. Calleigh's been working in Firearms for a long time. Even with protection, that's going to have an effect but we're talking years down the road. She'll probably have some hearing loss by the time she retires."

"But she's having a major hearing loss now?" Castellini returned to her original question while looking from Alexx to Kenwall.

"It seems that way," Alexx hedged a little. "The fever's still affecting her mental status. It's hard to get an answer." She tilted her head slightly, "Did you talk to Eric Delko or Ryan Wolfe?"

Castellini frowned, "No, I read the EMT's report. It stated that she had infected wounds, high fever, altered mental state and was drifting in and out of consciousness when they transported her. Who are Delko and Wolfe?"

"Her colleagues at CSI. They were with the first SWAT team that found Calleigh. They arrived in time to see Lt. Caine get shot. The SWAT boys took out the shooter but they couldn't get to Horatio. Calleigh wouldn't let them." Alexx allowed herself a moment of amusement at the expression on Castellini's face. "She had Horatio's pistol and she's a pretty good shot even when she's out of her head with fever."

"So she was already delusional?" Castellini couldn't help glancing at her patient. While she didn't much like guns, having to deal mostly with the aftermath, she was also a realist. Firearms were part of the social fabric and if somebody had to have them, she infinitely preferred it to be the police - at least they had training. Gavin had given her a little background on Duquesne and she'd read some of the past case history. It'd been hard to reconcile what she'd learned with the petite woman who'd arrived in the ER.

"Yes," Alexx replied a little impatiently, "But, according to Eric, she was reacting to movement, not sound. He didn't think she was hearing anything."

Castellini looked at Calleigh again, her eyes narrowing, "I've heard of cases of hysterical blindness but this is a new one." She turned back to Alexx and Kenwall, "Well, our first order of business is still to knock out the infection and bring her fever down. Once we've determined she's lucid, we'll address the issue of her hearing. It's possible it'll sort itself out. In the meantime, I'll talk to Dr. Lindsay about this and see what he has to say." She gave Kenwall a slight smile, "I know it's difficult right now but we'll get your daughter through this. Try not to worry too much." With a nod towards Alexx, she walked out of the room.

The two watched her leave and then looked at each other. Kenwall scratched his head, "Now what?"

Alexx turned back towards Calleigh, "Now we wait."

Sunday,

11:30 am

Horatio woke up to the soft murmur of voices. He laid there with his eyes half-closed, taking inventory. From the fog in his head and the odd lack of sensation in his body, he assumed he was still on heavy-duty pain meds. It didn't really stop the general feeling of unwellness but it did make it hard to care. Ignoring the external noises, he tried to concentrate on his memories. There were gaps he needed to fill. He remembered being told he'd been shot but not the actual event. He remembered being out in the 'Glades but not how he got there. He remembered the look on Calleigh's face after she'd shot the man behind them but couldn't remember how they'd wound up together or the nature of the trouble that had put them in that situation in the first place. It was incredibly frustrating. Finally, Horatio forced his eyes open and waited for things to come into focus.

"Hey, you're awake."

Horatio blinked a couple of times. That had sounded like Eric. A shape moved into his line of vision. It was blurry around the edges but definitely man-shaped, "Eric?" His voice sounded like someone had sandpapered his throat.

"Yeah, right here, H," Eric smiled in relief. Intellectually, he knew sleep was healing and that Horatio was making progress in his recovery but viscerally, it was more reassuring to be able to talk to his lieutenant. Mindful that Yelena was close by, he stayed away from the subject of Calleigh, instead assuring Horatio that everyone at the lab was fine and wishing him a speedy recovery. There was one subject he did need to broach, if nothing else than to give Horatio some warning. He shot a furtive glance backward and then plunged ahead, "When the doctors clear it, Stetler wants to talk to you about what happened out there." Knowing the animosity the IAB officer held for Horatio and his people, Eric hurried to reassure, "He's fishing and he knows it. It was a good shoot. Those guys were trying to kill you."

Horatio frowned, "Shooting?" Fragments of memory were finally working their way forward but he was still a long way from putting everything together. If there was nothing to worry about, why was Eric looking so uncomfortable?

Eric glanced at Yelena again, hunching his shoulders a little. She looked ready to tear strips out of him. He turned back to Horatio, "Yeah, the shooting. You took out one of the Burrus brothers just before we got there. Charles Henry, I think, then you got hit by Milo and the SWAT guys took him down. The last brother got away but we're still looking. SWAT notified New Orleans PD and the Darnell Sheriff's Department. They'll be watching if he heads back there."

"I didn't - ," Horatio paused in confusion. Hearing the name Burrus had unlocked more memories. He could remember firing his pistol but that had been more to delay rather than an attempt to hit anyone. Someone had been damn unlucky. "I did?" At least it was getting a little easier to get the words out.

Eric nodded, looking a bit confused himself, "In the middle of the forehead; he was dead before he hit the ground. His rifle was right there. There's no question you shot in self defense. Preliminary ballistics show he was one of the shooters that took down the copter so he'd already tried to kill you once. Stetler's just being a jerk."

Horatio managed a bit of a smile. Eric had his own reasons for disliking Stetler but he was right. It didn't sound like there was any reason for IAB to involve themselves. It was Rick being Rick. His smile faded as he considered what Eric had said. Damn, he'd thought the confusion was lessening. With a slight frown, he looked from Yelena to Eric. His frown deepened. Yelena looked about ready to blow while Eric just looked tense. What was going on? Carefully clearing his throat, he concentrated on Eric, "So there were five of them?"

Eric shook his head a little, frowning, "What?"

"Five men." At the younger man's blank look, Horatio bit back a sigh, not willing to take a deep breath just yet. It had hurt like hell last time despite the painkillers. He settled for raising an eyebrow. Eric wasn't usually this slow, the stress was probably catching up with him, "The three Burrus brothers and whoever else they had... the five... the first guy Calleigh took out when she escaped, the one I got, the one Calleigh shot, the one SWAT shot and one who got away." It was the longest sentence he'd managed since waking up and Horatio felt his eyelids beginning to droop. Dammit, when did talking become so exhausting? Determinedly, he tried to fight off the waves of weariness that were sweeping over him but it was no use. As he sank into oblivion, Horatio managed one brief flash of irritation. He still didn't know how Calleigh was. She'd been in pretty rough shape even before the Burrus brothers showed up.

"The one Calleigh shot?" Eric repeated as his eyebrows rose in surprise. It took him a moment to realize that Horatio had fallen asleep again and then he was hard-pressed not to shake his lieutenant awake. Calleigh? He turned his head to find Yelena glaring angrily at him. With a sharp jerk of her head, she indicated they should leave the room. Eric nodded, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Sister-in-law or not, as far as he was concerned, she was overstepping the bounds.

The door had barely shut before she rounded on him. She kept her voice down but it was evident that she was furious, "What were you thinking?"

Eric stared back, stone-faced and determined not to lose his temper, "What are you talking about?"

"He's a sick man. He nearly died! I don't want him upset and worrying over things like work and IAB!" Yelena waved her hands for emphasis, ignoring the looks from people passing in the corridor.

Folding his arms, Eric glanced away for a moment. Screw it, she had no right. "Why don't you say what you mean? You couldn't care less if he hears about Stetler or the lab. You just don't want anyone bringing up Calleigh." It was beyond him how Yelena could think there was anything more going on between Cal and H other than friendship and a mutual admiration.

She blinked in surprise and then her face hardened, "And what if I don't? She's hurt him enough. All of this is her fault - he should have never been in that situation!"

"Like hell," Eric retorted, "Calleigh had no control over what happened and H would never sit by while one of us was in trouble. That's not who he is."

"You think I don't know that? You think SHE doesn't know that? She called you knowing you'd tell Horatio and he'd come running. Must be quite a rush, knowing she has that kind of power." Yelena's voice was bitter, "She's poison and if I can keep her away, I will. He doesn't need any more pain." She eyed Eric for a moment, "I'm surprised you're defending her. You know as well as I do that Horatio was besotted with her even though he married your sister. Hell, they didn't even take a honeymoon. You think that was a mutual decision? Work was just an excuse and a pretty flimsy one at that. All he needed was one sign that she wanted him and he'd have broken Marisol's heart."

Eric stiffened as his eyes flashed with anger, "You leave my sister out of this." He leaned in, his voice ominously quiet, "Calleigh would never do what you suggested and I'd say you just proved how little you really think of Horatio if you believe he'd ever deliberately hurt someone like that. How the hell did you ever become a detective?" With that, he turned on his heel and stalked off. He'd never in his life hit a woman and he wasn't about to start now.


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you to all who reviewed. I hope everyone will continue to enjoy the story.

Chapter 11

Sunday,

2:00 pm

Calleigh slowly opened her eyes and let her gaze drift across the room. It wasn't much of a surprise to find herself in a hospital although the last clear memory she really had was of leaving the shelter of that decaying shed. After that, things were a jumble. There was a confusing array of images and it was hard to decide what was fact and what was fever-induced fiction. Calleigh stared at the gauze wrapped around her wrists, then raised her left arm and studied the bandage across her forearm. That was a memory she could do without. Even though she'd been defending herself and the man's death had been accidental, she was ultimately responsible for taking someone's life. It was just one more burden to carry.

She knew she'd been pretty sick out in the Everglades - she still felt lousy - and it was the only explanation for the confusion in her memories. Apparently, she'd also been incredibly lucky. Eric and Horatio had found her before the Burrus brothers. Had they been caught? Calleigh glanced around the room again and then slowly frowned. The sights and smells were typical of a hospital but it was unnaturally quiet. There should be some sort of ambient noise. What was going on?

It was puzzling but not terribly alarming and, truthfully, Calleigh didn't have enough energy to care. Although she'd just woken up, her sleep had been far from restful. Nightmares had plagued her and she'd been unable to escape. Sometimes she dreamed she was awake, which made them that much worse - they'd seemed so real. Calleigh blinked suddenly and then her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she focused on her surroundings again. Was she really awake now or was this more of the same nightmare? The silence began to take on an ominous feel. It wasn't too much later when the door opened. It did nothing to assuage her trepidation. There'd been no sound at all.

"But what if her hearing doesn't come back?" Duke held open the door for Alexx. He couldn't help feeling like he was making a pest of himself. He'd been asking variations of this same question ever since he'd realized his baby girl was deaf. It was probably the lawyer in him, trying to find the right version of the question that would give him the answer he wanted most: that Calleigh would hear again and everything could go back to normal.

"We'll deal with it," Alexx replied patiently. "There's nothing physically wrong. You'll need to be strong for her, she's been through a lot already." In truth, she was worried too, but knew she needed to maintain a calm presence for Mr. Duquesne's sake. She could only imagine what he'd been through while they searched for Calleigh. He'd known the Burrus brothers and had probably seen first-hand exactly what they were capable of doing. He must have been scared out of his mind for his daughter. Mentally, she gave him points for holding together and not disappearing into a bottle.

They both stopped when they realized Calleigh was awake and staring at them. Alexx's hand went unobtrusively to Duke's sleeve, halting his rush to the bed. Calleigh looked tired and wary but her eyes were clear. The delirium seemed to be gone but what about her hearing? Alexx put on her warmest smile while murmuring quietly, "Easy does it."

Duke stopped, giving the ME a quick, nervous glance. Taking a deep breath, he settled his shoulders and turned back towards Calleigh with a smile, "Hey darlin', you're awake."

Calleigh's eyes widened as her breath hitched, "Dad?" His lips had moved but she hadn't heard a sound.

Kenwall hurried forward, "Right here, sweetheart." He hesitated when she didn't answer but continued to stare at him. Carefully, he sat down on the edge of the bed, never breaking eye contact, "Calleigh, sweetheart, can't you hear me?"

With a growing sense of shock, Calleigh watched her father continue to talk while never making a sound. Her eyes moved to Alexx standing quietly near the end of the bed and there she saw the truth. She wasn't asleep but it was definitely feeling like the beginning of a nightmare. Involuntarily, her hands went to the sides of her head as she looked back at her father, "Oh dear god. Daddy, I can't hear you!"

Heart breaking a little more at the horrified look on his daughter's face, Kenwall moved close enough to gather her into his arms. He could feel her trembling as she burrowed into his chest. Resting his cheek on top of her head, he shot a helpless look at Alexx, "What do we do now?"

The ME moved to the opposite side of the bed and sat down, reaching over to put a comforting hand on Calleigh's back. She looked at Duke, "We do whatever we have to. We answer her questions as honestly as we can and we make sure she knows she's not alone."

Calleigh turned her head enough to look at Alexx while staying in her father's embrace, "What happened?"

Alexx shook her head and then held up a hand, turning to the nightstand where'd she left the pad and pen from the last attempt to communicate with the blonde. Quickly, she wrote her reply and held it up for Calleigh to see.

"'Not sure - we're at Ryder - you've been sick - bacterial infection - you'll be fine. Last thing you remember?'" Calleigh read slowly, her brow furrowing. If she was at the Trauma Center, then it'd been serious. How sick was sick? Delirious? Damn, she couldn't remember. Had she been rambling? There were things she'd needed to keep to herself. She pulled back a little further, looking from Alexx to her father and then back. How much did they know? Calleigh was reluctant to mention the Burrus brothers in front of her dad. He'd know who they were but not why they'd come after her and she wasn't sure how to explain about the Ashbys. He'd been oblivious to so much back then, lost in the alcohol. Her mother hadn't been much better. Even when she wasn't fogged with drink, she had a tendency to see only what she wanted to see. The Ashbys were not part of her comfortable world.

Initially, it had been easier than she expected to keep her parents from realizing exactly how large a role she'd played. Her father had barely registered the turmoil in the neighborhood and her mother had been so horrified to learn that Calleigh had seen the attack that she never considered her daughter might have been more than just a witness. Tolley had willingly played down her part in catching the Burrus brothers in an effort to keep her from becoming too obvious a target. It had almost worked. They hadn't counted on Milo confessing he'd beaten Rad and gone after Maude and had forced his brothers to help. It'd given their lawyer enough leverage to get the two out on bail on lesser charges. The Darnell Sheriff's Dept. had done the best they could but they hadn't had the manpower to watch one 16 year-old girl 24/7 for the weeks before the trial. The brothers had bided their time before they finally struck. It'd been dumb luck more than anything else that Deputy Allen had happened by when he did.

Everything had gotten more complicated after Budge and Ray Don had made their attempt to keep her from testifying. Sheriff Jack had become an unwilling accomplice in continuing to deceive her parents. It had taken some fast talking to convince him to go along with her story of taking a header down some steps. As humiliating as it was that he knew about her home life, it had probably tipped the balance for his cooperation. While Calleigh had hated the pity she'd seen in his eyes, she hadn't been above using it to achieve her goal. The DA hadn't cared what she told her parents so long as she testified.

Her brothers had been a harder task. At first, Teej had wanted everyone to know what she'd done. He thought she'd been heroic. It had taken a while to make him understand there'd been nothing heroic in arriving too late. Mr. Rad was dead and it turned out she'd been depressingly correct when she'd told him Miz Maudie probably wouldn't recover. After Budge and Ray Don had tried to kill her, he'd been quite willing not to say anything at all. He'd been terrified someone else would try.

Pie had been another problem altogether. At eleven years old, the most he'd known about death was the passing of Great-granddaddy Burke, so the violence done to the Ashbys was well beyond the realm of his experience. Not knowing how to deal with his shock and grief, he'd turned to anger instead and, with the rationale of a child, he'd aimed that anger at his once infallible older sister. She should have done something. In hindsight, Calleigh realized she hadn't handled Pie well at all, although in her defense, she'd been more traumatized than he. Pie had been sullenly trailing behind her when the Burrus brothers made their move and to his credit, had tried to stop them. He'd had no chance against the two men and that added guilt to everything else that was festering. He'd become even more angry with her. Things had never been the same between them and even at this late date, they were still estranged.

Alexx frowned slightly, watching how Calleigh hesitated while looking at Kenwall. It was apparent she was reluctant to say anything in front of her father. The ME reached out and touched the blonde's arm, getting a startled look in reply. Alexx wrote quickly on the pad and then handed it over. Calleigh's eyebrows lifted high in surprise as she scanned the message and then stared at Kenwall, "You know? How? When?"

Confused, Kenwall glanced at Alexx. "The Burrus brothers," she clarified quietly.

His face cleared somewhat as he looked back at Calleigh and nodded. He gestured towards the pad and she handed it over. Pulling out a pen, he quickly scrawled, 'Tolley - long time.' Kenwall gave the pad back and waited uneasily, not sure how she would react.

Calleigh read the words twice before looking back up at her father, "All this time, you knew and never said anything?" She wasn't sure what to feel. It was so far in the past and yet still hurt. She could have used some sort of support during that awful time. She could have used a father.

Kenwall sighed, his eyes dropping down and then put his hand out for the pad. Silently, Calleigh gave it back and watched as he scribbled out his message. She sighed herself when she read what he'd written. 'After the trial - ashamed - didn't know how.' It didn't make it easier but it did make sense - now. His drinking had jumped around that time and he'd been both depressed and angrier than she'd ever seen him. Between him and Pie, the family had spiraled out of any semblance of control, pushing her to contemplate things she'd never considered before. Then Sheriff Jack started dropping in unexpectedly in the evenings. It had embarrassed the hell out of her but it also kept things from getting any more out of hand. He'd always made it clear the visits weren't official as he chatted with her father about past investigations and cases. Gradually, the family dynamic returned to about as normal as it had ever been. She found herself turning to Tolley like she had to the Ashbys for a much-needed adult voice of reason. He'd been patience itself and, as with everything else in her life, she'd been extremely careful on how and when she approached him. When she finally gathered her nerve to pursue college, she'd decided to get into law enforcement. Jack Tolley had shown her how to temper authority with compassion.

Kenwall waited until she looked at him again before saying, "I'm so sorry, darlin'."

Calleigh nodded slowly. She couldn't hear him but it was easy enough to know what he was saying. When he cautiously opened his arms, she didn't hesitate to move into his embrace and hug him tightly. "It's okay, Dad," she said quietly. It would be, eventually, as she sorted through everything. Pulling back after a few moments, Calleigh looked over at Alexx and smiled a little. The ME was studiously gazing in the opposite direction. She cleared her throat, "Alexx?"

Alexx turned back with a warm smile, "Yes, baby?"

"What's wrong with me? Why can't I hear?" She felt her father grasp her hand as she focused on her friend. Whatever was going on had to be temporary. She wasn't feeling that bad physically. Some things hurt a little more than others - her wrists, forearm, shoulder and she could feel the vestiges of what had to have been a killer headache. None of it compared to what she'd gone through with Owens and that hadn't affected her hearing.

Alexx shook her a head a little and then accepted the pad Kenwall extended towards her. This wasn't going to be easy. She wrote out her message and gave it to the blonde.

Calleigh read the note and then looked up at Alexx, confused, "What do you mean there's no physical damage? I CAN'T hear anything. It's not something you can just turn off and on." Her face flushed and a scowl started at the look Alexx gave her, "Are you kidding? You think I'm CHOOSING not to hear? That I want this? For god sakes, I'm NOT crazy! Why the hell would I want to be deaf?" She turned towards her father and her eyes widened at the look on his face. Shaking off the hand he'd placed on her shoulder, Calleigh glared at him, "You, too? I don't believe this! What's wrong with you two?"

Alexx took the pad, wrote furiously for a minute and then pushed it back. Calleigh accepted it reluctantly and frowned, "I know I was feverish out there. What emotional shock? I mean, I'm sorry that guy died. I didn't mean to kill him but it was self defense. He was trying to kill me." She stared at Alexx as she lifted up her arm, "And the fever didn't happen until later when this got infected."

She waited somewhat impatiently as Alexx wrote out her reply. What she read had her shaking her head, "No, I don't remember how I was rescued. I'm still alive so the Burruses didn't find me first." She shot a quick glance at her father, "Did they get away?" If they had, that would explain why Alexx was here and not Eric. He could still be out helping look for them. The last time she'd been hospitalized, it seemed like he was there every time she opened her eyes. She firmly quashed the little thread of despair that he was staying away on purpose, that he'd helped rescue her merely out of a sense of obligation or loyalty to Horatio.

She sighed a little to herself. If she'd had any backbone at all when it came to Eric, she would have made the break with the lab permanent after John killed himself. Left to herself, she probably would have but Horatio had appeared on her doorstep and refused to leave her alone until she agreed to come back. That had been such a horrible time - she'd felt completely out of control of her emotions. The man had been damn lucky she hadn't just shot him for being so annoyingly stubborn. Calleigh had finally acquiesced on the condition that she took some leave first. She'd desperately needed to get away from Miami. Calleigh had used the time off to re-evaluate her life and to do some traveling. During that time, she'd also interviewed at a couple different labs across the country. It certainly helped her self-esteem to find that most were willing to hire her right on the spot. It was Mac Taylor in New York who cautioned her to take more time before jumping into anything. He was a perceptive man.

In the end, she'd found herself in Germany for a three week visit with her brother, Teej. He'd joined the army right out of high school and been stationed overseas for the last seven years. Teej was a mustang. He'd started out enlisted, gone to night school and worked his way up to become an officer. He'd just made Captain and she happily helped him celebrate with his family and friends. Teej had married about five years earlier while stationed in Japan and now had a son and daughter, four and two, respectively. His wife, Ioki, was a lovely woman. She was a medical doctor and worked on base, part-time. It gave the family a little extra income without cutting too deeply into time spent with their children.

Calleigh fit right in with his circle, military and law enforcement mindsets were remarkably similar. It didn't hurt that his fellow officers weren't shy in vying for her attention. Their admiration only increased when Teej bragged about her proficiency with firearms. Knowing she was just there for a visit kept things light as they turned their pursuit into good-natured competition. It was flattering and downright therapeutic.

Although Calleigh had kept up with her brother's life by phone, email and letter, she hadn't really talked that much with his wife. It had been a little awkward at first as she and Ioki searched for common ground but each was determined to like the other and in the end, they were well on their way to becoming good friends. Teej was a lucky man - a fact Calleigh enjoyed pointing out to him as often as possible in front of Ioki. It eased her heart to see him so happy. Here was one life she hadn't somehow ruined. It wasn't until the day before she was scheduled to leave that Teej managed to drag her away for some serious one-on-one conversation. Truthfully, she'd been doing her best to avoid it, preferring to bask in someone else's happiness. He'd seen through it, of course, and had been waiting patiently. He knew her too well for her defenses to work and in the end, she wound up telling him everything - from Tim's death to Hagan's suicide. It hadn't been easy on either of them. She'd had to relive things best forgotten while he'd cycled between being sad, appalled, furious and guilty for not being there to help. She tried to keep Eric out of it but Teej had become irritatingly perceptive over the years and figured that part out, too. He'd been sympathetic but he'd also told her to go back to Miami - her life was there and she needed to deal with it.

She'd come back, determined to handle whatever else life could throw at her and life, in its perversity, had thrown quite a bit. Alexx had been a rock. Ryan and Frank had continued to hover as unobtrusively as possible, attempting the near impossible task of watching out for her without actually incurring her wrath. It was warmly exasperating. The only one who limited contact with her was Eric, despite his words about remaining friends. Stoically, she'd watched as his relationship with Natalia developed. She'd sucked it up, telling herself it was no more than she deserved. Horatio and Marisol provided a welcome distraction. She was both glad he'd finally found someone and worried about how he would handle her eventual death. The marriage announcement after only a few months took her and everyone else by surprise. Knowing how Eric felt about it dampened her pleasure somewhat. She picked up a wedding gift for the two but declined to attend the wedding itself. If Eric did show up for his sister, it would have been terribly awkward. She didn't want to mar a day of happiness for her mentor and his soon-to-be wife.

Then the Mala Noche had struck, shattering both Horatio and Eric's lives. She'd been with Eric at the scene of the probable sniper's nest when he got the word that his beloved sister had died of her wound. She'd stood there and offered empty words of condolence. He'd been brittle with barely suppressed rage and sorrow. She'd been afraid to physically touch him, not knowing if he'd shatter or explode. She'd hadn't been sure she could handle either one. When he and Horatio had flown to Rio to seek revenge, she'd done nothing to stop them. She understood what they needed to do even if she didn't believe it was the smartest move for either of them. Instead, she took over the lab and did her best to restore some equilibrium. It was all she had to offer.

Gradually, Calleigh realized someone was lightly rubbing her shoulder. Blinking rapidly, she took a calming breath before looking over at Alexx with a half-smile, "Sorry, got lost in thought for a minute."

Alexx nodded with warm smile of her own. From Calleigh's expression, Eric had been occupying a good deal of those thoughts. She'd seen that half-despairing look before. As much as Alexx thought of Eric, she could have also strangled him when he turned to Natalia Boa Vista. It had complicated everything between him and Calleigh. The blonde had predictably been hurt, and also predictably, had been upset with herself about feeling hurt.

And then there was Horatio - since Marisol's death, he'd changed. Alexx wasn't particularly happy about it but his self-isolation had been harder on Calleigh. It wasn't just the extra responsibilities that had been dumped in her lap. He'd practically stopped talking to her altogether and Alexx knew that had hurt her young friend. Some days it seemed like he had more concern for the victims than the people he led. Compassion was commendable but not at the expense of his team. It had taken the Burrus brothers to bring back a semblance of the man he'd been. Taking a breath to brace herself, Alexx slowly pushed the pad towards the blonde. This wasn't going to be pretty. It was apparent her friend was suppressing a good deal of what happened out there in the 'Glades. As Calleigh began to read, the ME directed a look at Duke, "Be ready. I don't think she's going react well."

Kenwall refrained from rolling his eyes. As far as he was concerned, she already wasn't reacting well. It was going to get worse?

Calleigh's face blanched as she started to read what Alexx had written. Her head shot up, staring at the ME, her voice was barely above a whisper, "No! That can't be true! I'd remember!" Her gaze dropped to the pad again, "How could I...?" She looked from Alexx to her father, "It's not... this is a mistake. It must be."

Alexx put a hand on Calleigh's shoulder again and shook her head when the blonde looked her way, "Baby, I'm sorry. It's true."

Calleigh pulled away, shaking her head. How could she forget?

Alexx tapped the pad, repeating slowly what she'd written for emphasis, "He's alive, baby. He's going to recover."

Calleigh concentrated on Alexx as she spoke. It was getting easier to get the gist of what the ME was saying even if it wasn't any easier to take. How the hell could she not remember Horatio getting shot? That the EMTs had taken him here to Ryder told her what Alexx hadn't elaborated on, that he'd been badly wounded. "Can I see him?" If she could see him, it might be easier to believe that he'd be okay. Would he forgive her for nearly getting him killed? Considering the distance lately between them, she didn't have a hell of a lot of hope. Assuming he didn't fire her outright, he'd probably sever all contact with her until she gave up and either transferred or quit.

Alexx shared a look with Kenwall. This kept getting worse. Yelena hadn't softened her stance at all and Horatio hadn't recovered enough to handle the stress of dealing with her. Eric was still the only one getting in on virtue of being family. As much as Yelena might have liked to stop him, her claim to Horatio was no stronger than his. Delko had pointed that out to her rather forcefully when she had attempted to curtail his visits. He'd also told Alexx he didn't think Horatio could handle being as angry as he'd probably be when he found out what Yelena was doing. They'd have to wait a while longer.

Duke patted her leg and gestured for the pad. Quickly, he scribbled down a reply, handing it back while glancing at Alexx. Calleigh's shoulders slumped a little as she read. She looked at her father, "They're limiting his visitors to family only?" Damn, she didn't qualify by any stretch of the imagination.

Kenwall nodded, saying slowly, "For now." He didn't look at Alexx. She and Eric had told him about Yelena's issues with his daughter as gently as they could. He'd been annoyed that all her animosity was based on a fallacy but, he'd also conceded that she was entitled to her opinion. Now, however, it seemed as if Calleigh's recovery might be facilitated by seeing that her mentor and boss was recovering, too. That was all the reason he needed. It was time he confronted Ms. Salas.


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for the delay and thank you for the reviews.

Chapter 12

Sunday,

4:00 pm

Horatio blinked a couple of times and waited for his eyesight to focus. He hadn't thought it was possible but he was feeling worse then he had earlier. The undercurrent of pain was still going strong while the meds they'd pumped into him continued to dull his reaction to it. Now, apparently as an added attraction, his skin felt like it was a size too small and the room temperature was climbing. Horatio shifted restlessly and bit back a groan. This was worse than the last time he'd been in a hospital. He let his gaze drift around the room and considered swearing. For once, he was alone. If he'd been feeling better, this would have been welcome but right now it wasn't. He couldn't make his hand move enough to reach the call button.

Frustrated, Horatio stared up at the ceiling again. What had woken him up? Something had worked through the haze and alerted him. He didn't think it could be anything dangerous, not here in the hospital, but he was feeling anxious, like something was wrong. Concentration wasn't coming any easier than his ability to reach the call button. Damn drugs, his focus kept drifting. Somewhere between the frustration and worry, he fell back into an uneasy sleep.

Not more than ten minutes later, Yelena strode angrily into the room with Eric right on her heels. She turned to face him, her voice a quiet hiss, "Not here, Delko, just drop it."

Eric shook his head, shooting a quick glance at Horatio. He kept his voice lowered as well, "Oh no, you're not hiding in here. Mr. Duquesne made a perfectly reasonable request. She just wants to see him."

"And I said no. What part of that is so hard to understand?" Yelena gestured angrily.

"All of it!" Eric hunched his shoulders at her furious glare. That had come out louder than he intended. He held up his hands, his voice much quieter, "Look, I don't know what the big deal is. H is asleep three-quarters of the time anyway. He won't know she's here. She just needs to know that he's alive, that's all."

"No thanks to her. I've told you, I don't want that woman anywhere near him."

Eric ran his hands through his hair in frustration while he tried to control his temper. He just knew that Calleigh's hearing loss was tied to Horatio's shooting. It was possible that seeing H alive and getting better would break loose whatever was that was going on in her head. Why the hell was Yelena being so difficult? Calleigh and Horatio were close but not like Yelena was thinking. Finally he turned back to her with a laser glare, "So have you thought about how H is going to react when he finds out what you've been doing? Do you have any idea how angry he's going to be - with you? You didn't see how he was when we were afraid she might be dead."

He wasn't sure if he saw a brief flash of uncertainty or not but then Yelena's posture stiffened, "All the more reason to keep her away. She'll lead him on, get his hopes up and then break his heart." She folded her arms, cocking an eyebrow at him, "You should know what that's like."

Eric's temper flared and he straightened up, using his height to loom over her. His voice deepened in anger, "You don't know what the hell you're talking about." Time and distance had helped provide a little more objectiveness to his relationship with Calleigh. It was a bit easier to see how his one-track obsession with Owens had forced Calleigh to back away. He should have listened to Alexx and let Calleigh approach it in her own way. He turned towards the bed, "I think we should ask him."

"No!" Yelena held out a hand, "Don't you dare disturb him. He needs to rest." She huffed for a moment and then glared hard at Eric, "Five minutes and that's it - no more."

"Fine," Eric turned and walked out. Five minutes was better than nothing although the whole situation was ridiculous. Calleigh and Horatio's relationship had always been tight. She'd been one of the original members of his team and there was an obvious mutual admiration and respect. Horatio's withdrawal after Mari's death had been hardest on Calleigh. Now, Yelena was somehow construing that to mean that they'd been involved romantically.

Eric shook his head. It was ironic that Cal believed in karma considering how life had dumped on her after she'd pushed him away because of Owens. Talk about payback. That asshole Hagan had nearly broken her. He still remembered the panic he'd felt when he'd entered the range and found her gone. The gravitational drop of bloody gore on the sleeve of her lab coat had made him look up and see what was left of Hagan's brains on the ceiling. It wasn't hard to figure out what happened. He hadn't been able to reach Horatio but he did manage to give the clean-up crew an earful while he searched the rest of the lab for Calleigh. His stomach had dropped right to his shoes when he saw the shift board and realized her nameplate had been removed.

That five week period that she was gone had been hell. Horatio had withdrawn even more, making life at work increasingly difficult. Apparently, it had also left the door open for idle gossip and rumor as everyone speculated on Calleigh's absence. Eric and Alexx had quashed a few of the more outrageous ones. It had been somewhat of a surprise when she did come back to find that she'd transferred out of Ballistics. The Firearms replacement Horatio had brought in was a classic example of the indifferent government employee and a striking contrast to Calleigh's normal energy and efficiency. It spoke volumes on H's state of mind that he'd hired the man at all. Until she was gone, Eric also hadn't realized how integral Cal was in the daily workings of the lab. Horatio might be their leader but Calleigh had been their anchor. She was the one everyone turned to to handle the little day-to-day details and unravel the snafus that plagued every workplace. And, when you got down to it, she just made people feel better when she was around. He and the rest of the lab personnel had breathed a collective sigh of relief when she finally returned.

Before Calleigh came back, there'd been one more upheaval although not nearly as traumatic. Natalia Boa Vista had appeared and blown through the lab like a hurricane, spewing Federal grant money everywhere. When she was done, they'd had a sparkly new, state-of-the-art facility. Despite the chaos (and inevitable construction goofs) Natalia remained pleasant and patient with the displaced and grumpy lab rats. That she was bright and extremely easy on the eyes was an added bonus and Eric found himself smiling more when he was in her presence. He'd missed Calleigh desperately and needed the distraction. It had been easy to fall into old ways and the next thing he knew, he and Natalia were an item. If he'd been totally honest with himself, there'd been the tiniest bit of vindictiveness, too. Calleigh didn't want him? Well, she could watch Natalia and see what she was missing.

Sunday,

4:30 pm

Eric stopped just outside Calleigh's room and tapped on the doorframe, gaining Duke's attention. Alexx had left a little earlier to take care of her own family. Seeing her father turn got Calleigh's attention too, and Eric gave her a warm smile. "Five minutes," he said, holding up his hand with the fingers spread for Calleigh's benefit.

"Right now? Will Ms. Salas be there?" Kenwall let a little annoyance creep into his voice as Delko nodded. That woman's attitude had been just this side of rude. His daughter wasn't in any shape to withstand Yelena's undeserved vitriol.

"I brought a wheelchair," Eric's smile grew a bit wider. "And someone to give us a hand."

Both Calleigh and Duke broke into smiles as well when Louise Vanderosen appeared pushing the wheelchair. The RN smiled back as she walked up to the bed and then waggled a finger at Calleigh, "When I told you before to keep in touch, this isn't what I meant."

Kenwall chuckled at that while Calleigh gave a semi-helpless shrug. Her expression lightened when her father handed over the pad with Louise's comment and she gave the nurse a rueful look, "Not my idea of fun either. How have you been?"

"Busy." Louise's answer was succinct as she moved to the IV stand. Kenwall lowered the side rail and raised the bed more before heading for the closet and the robe Alexx had brought earlier. He knew how Calleigh felt about hospital gowns. It only took them a few minutes to get her situated in the wheelchair. The blonde had been more than a little embarrassed when her knees buckled while attempting to stand up. Both Louise and Kenwall had brushed off her apologies. The elder Duquesne had agreed with Louise's comment that she'd have been more surprised if Calleigh had actually managed the few steps to the wheelchair this soon.

Eric had been waiting patiently out in the corridor. He knew how Calleigh was and figured she wouldn't appreciate an audience. He grinned when she appeared in the doorway and couldn't help leaning down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. He knew he hadn't spent much time with her since her fever had broken. He told himself it was because he was the only one from the lab who had access to Horatio and he needed to keep an eye on Yelena. Calleigh smiled a little as she regarded Eric with affection, all the while telling herself not to read anymore into it than one friend's concern for another. Eric had moved on.

As the little procession wheeled down the corridor, Calleigh had to force her hands to stay still to keep them from betraying her nervousness. Alexx had been very clear before she left that Horatio was still in serious condition and would probably sleep through her visit. In a way, that made it easier. Calleigh wasn't sure she could face a conscious Horatio just yet. She was still coming up blank on exactly what had happened. Alexx had only given her the bare bones: the Burrus brothers had forced the SAR copter down, killing the pilot; she had somehow shot and killed Budge, Milo had shot Horatio and SWAT had shot Milo. It was confusing and upsetting. She did remember talking to Eric on the phone. He would have told Horatio, so she was ultimately responsible for setting off the chain of events that had nearly killed her mentor and friend. She never should have called.

Her nervousness grew when they reached the closed door of Horatio's room. Calleigh shot a grateful look at her father when his hand found its way to her shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze. Eric gave her a reassuring smile as well before tapping on the door and then pushing it open. He entered first and then held it open for Louise to roll the wheelchair through. Both he and Kenwall immediately looked to Yelena to assess her reaction and convey a silent warning to behave. Calleigh only had eyes for Horatio. Her breath caught a little as Louise pushed her up to the side of the bed. He was paler than she'd ever seen him, the sheet barely covering the bandages across his chest and arm. Oh god, what had she done?

Tentatively, she reached out to touch his hand. It felt cold and she looked at Louise, "He's going to be okay?"

Louise nodded with a reassuring smile, her eyes tightening a little at Yelinda's muttered, 'No thanks to you.' She kept her attention on Calleigh, ignoring both Eric and Duke's furiously quiet protests and shifted slightly to make sure the blonde couldn't see past her. She needn't have bothered. Calleigh's attention was focused solely on the slow rise and fall of Horatio's chest. Finally, Calleigh looked up at the RN and nodded. She was subdued on the way back and Eric and Duke exchanged concerned looks. This was not what they wanted to see.

Calleigh kept her back straight as Louise returned them to her room. What she wanted to do was cry but there was no way she could give in to it with her father and Eric right there. She didn't see how Horatio would ever forgive her for this. He'd been with the MDPD for over ten years without an injury and it only took a one day collision with her past to put him in the hospital for who knew how long.

Once Calleigh was back in her own bed, she thanked Louise and Eric and then announced she was tired and wanted to take a nap. She didn't miss the concerned looks the three exchanged but didn't really care. She needed to be alone and sleep seemed to be the easiest way to achieve her goal. Stoically, she accepted Louise's reassuring squeeze of her hand and her father's kiss before watching them troop out the door. Eric had given her a careful hug but she wasn't sure if he was afraid he'd hurt her or if he was still keeping his distance. With a sigh, she turned on her side and closed her eyes. God damn the Burruses. She'd lost her hearing, possibly her career and had damn near gotten Horatio killed as well. She could almost wish they'd just pulled the trigger when they had the chance.

Sunday,

6:30 pm

Calleigh opened her eyes, frowning slightly. A change in the air currents had wafted over, telling her that someone had entered the room. A small part of her was fascinated by the phenomenon but the rest of her was just annoyed. How many times did she have to politely say 'no thank you, I'm tired, not hungry.'? Turning over, she looked at her visitor and bit back a groan, "You."

Dale Lindsay smiled and nodded as he walked over to the chair by the side of the bed and sat down. He held up the chalkboard he'd had tucked under an arm, 'We need to talk.'

Calleigh resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she pushed herself upright, "What for?" Dale pointed to his ear and she scowled, "Fine. I can't hear, there's no physical reason so it must be me. I admit it. I have no idea how to turn it back on and neither do you. Fill out your papers and stick me in the psych ward if that makes you happy. Are we done? I was trying to sleep."

She watched as he wiped off the first message and wrote another. 'You're angry.' Calleigh did roll her eyes when she read that, "No kidding. That degree of yours is certainly paying off."

He had the temerity to chuckle at her sarcasm and wrote something else.

Calleigh read, 'Horatio?' and then glanced away. This was not a subject she wanted to discuss - especially with a shrink, "What about him?" After a moment or two, she looked back to see Dale watching her patiently. Grim-faced, Calleigh struggled to keep her voice level, "He's down the hall with a hole in his chest - something you already know."

Dale tilted his head and her scowl deepened, "Fine. He's down the hall with a hole in his chest because of me. Happy now?"

She huffed a little at the pointed look he gave her, "Of course it's my fault. He wasn't out in the 'Glades because he wanted some fresh air. He was out there trying to find me."

Dale shook his head as he wrote again and held up the board. Calleigh stiffened slightly, "'His choice'? We're talking about Horatio Caine here, white knight extraordinare. There was only one choice. He would still be fine if I'd called MDPD instead of the lab." It was hard but true. There was some comfort in knowing he would recover but there was also a feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. As much as it pained her to admit it, they hadn't been on the best of terms lately. How he would react to being shot and to her role in it was anybody's guess.

She waited tensely for Dale's next tangent, positive she wasn't going to like it. A few minutes later, she was found she was right. "'Why did I call Eric?' I don't know. I just did." Dammit, she knew where he was going. It was beyond irritating that he knew how she truly felt about Eric. There was no way she wanted to admit to Dale that she'd been hurting and scared and had needed to hear Eric's voice.

'You still love him?'

Calleigh glanced away again, "That's none of your business." When she looked back, Dale was still watching her and she scowled, "Doesn't really matter anymore, does it? It takes two." He raised an eyebrow and Calleigh blew out an exasperated breath, "What do you want me to say? I screwed up our relationship before it ever got off the ground and he moved on." She looked down at her hands, sighing lightly, "At least we're still friends."

Dale's hand waving caught her attention. Resigned, she looked up to see how much further the psychiatrist wanted to go in tormenting her about Eric. Her brow furrowed, "'My relationship with Horatio?' I don't understand."

'Strained?'

Calleigh stared at him. Dammit, how much did he know? She gave a non-committal shrug while fiddling with the bed sheets. Defending Horatio was second nature for her, "He's been going through a rough time." Calleigh frowned at his next message, "'Took it out on me?' No, that's not how it was. He - withdrew, from everyone, not just me." Reading Dale's response made her frown deepen, "It was just a disagreement over procedure." Calleigh shifted under Dale's gaze. The row she and Horatio had had after Kornspan shot her had also marked the first time she'd ever been openly angry with Horatio. She'd had every right to go off on him after he'd started pontificating about not taking unnecessary risks - talk about the pot calling the kettle black - but she should have had more control. The end result was Horatio doing his best to avoid her altogether and his best was pretty damn good. Although Calleigh didn't think she should have apologized for her words, she definitely owed him an apology for the tone she'd used. The problem had been, up until this latest fiasco, that she'd been unable to pin him down long enough to make the apology. Dale was still staring at her and she rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Fine. We were barely speaking and then these maniac brothers from my past show up and nearly kill him. I think that pretty much tanks any chance I might have had to fix things."

'Have you talked to him?'

Calleigh stared at Dale in disbelief, "I take back what I said about your degree. Let's recap: Horatio's unconscious and I can't hear. I'd say that's a no. Good lord, don't you have someone else to fix?"

Lindsay smiled as he shook his head and wrote his next message.

'Burrus brothers.' Calleigh's expression became more guarded, "What about them?"

'2nd time - tried to kill you.'

Calleigh pulled back further, "So?" When Dale frowned at her, she shrugged defensively, "They didn't. It's over."

He wrote his reply and tapped the board for emphasis, 'No, it's not.'

Her eyes narrowed, "Yes. It. Is."

Dale regarded Calleigh somewhat impatiently. He usually enjoyed her combativeness - even when she felt like hell, she could still give him a run for his money. Duquesne wasn't just smart - she was quick-witted as well, traits that didn't always go together and that kept him on his toes. Despite everything she'd gone through in her life, she remained remarkably stable; although he would have preferred that she didn't internalize so much. At least it didn't manifest itself in self-destructive behavior - not physically, anyway. Emotionally, however, her defenses could put Fort Knox to shame. Not many people saw beyond the public facade. For someone as determinedly, nearly obsessively, self-reliant as Duquesne was, it was no surprise that she didn't like psychiatry and, by extension, psychiatrists. He never took it personally.

This hearing loss was serious, however, and whether she admitted it or not - she needed help. The guilt and horror caused by the Burrus brothers had been festering for sixteen years. Why the hell no one had thought to get counseling for a traumatized sixteen year-old girl was beyond him. He scribbled out another message, 'You need to talk about this.' When she shook her head, he wiped out the board and wrote again, 'Ashbys, Horatio - NOT your fault.' He sighed inwardly as her face lost all expression. Damn, she was stubborn. He'd figured she'd either fight or shut down. Obviously, he'd been hoping for the fight. Well, tomorrow was another day and he knew it was time for a strategic retreat. At least he'd given her something to mull over. Dale erased the board again and wrote out a last message. Standing up, he handed it to her, placed the chalk on the nightstand and walked out.

Calleigh read the board and then looked up in time to see the door close. Sighing, she leaned back and contemplated his words again. 'You have no control over others. See you tomorrow.' Letting the board fall onto her lap, she stared off into space. Damn shrinks, it had to be some sort of union rule that every sentence out of their mouths had to sound like some deeply profound declaration. Calleigh glanced at the board again and snorted, even the written stuff was that way. The hubris of psychiatry never failed to annoy the hell out of her. It was like watching some charlatan faith healer at work. They'd point at your problem, tell you your feelings about it were obviously wrong and then tell you how you should feel. If that didn't straighten you out then you must not be trying hard enough. It wouldn't be their fault.

Hands tightening on the board, Calleigh scowled. Honest to god, she wasn't an idiot. Did Lindsay really think she hadn't considered all this? Damnation, most of her childhood had been spent learning how truly little control she had over everyone but herself. Not her fault? Like hell. Horatio was lying in that hospital bed specifically because of her past. Frustration growing, Calleigh tossed the chalkboard to the foot of the bed and curled up on her side. She couldn't remember Horatio getting shot but the memories of that spring day sixteen years ago were crystal clear. Normally, she didn't dwell on regrets. Not in broad daylight anyway - the times she did were usually in the wee hours of morning after some horrific case when sleep wouldn't come. These circumstances were different, though, and it was impossible not to think about it. If only she hadn't let fear override anger back then. Maybe she couldn't have prevented what happened to the Ashbys but she could have stopped all three brothers right there. As close as she'd been, even with birdshot, the results would have been deadly and who would have questioned it? Most people would have taken it at face value - a horrific crime in progress and a hysterical sixteen year-old girl with a shotgun blasting away at the dreaded Burrus brothers. Some might have even chuckled over the irony.

Tolley wouldn't have been fooled but he probably wouldn't have pushed too hard either. Justice would have been served and maybe her nights wouldn't have been haunted by images of Rad and Maude Ashby. Who knew? Maybe her father would have stopped drinking long enough to defend her if it had come to that. He was a skilled lawyer when sober. Calleigh squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could somehow silence her conscience. Dammit, she'd known even as Tolley had pried the shotgun from her hands all those years ago that it wouldn't be over between her and Milo until one of them was dead. She'd known and done her best to pretend it wasn't so - out of sight and out of mind. Known and ignored the fact that the Burrus brothers would get out one day. Known that Milo wouldn't forget who had put him in prison. What she hadn't considered was the collateral damage.

Monday,

7:00 am

Eric strode quickly down the corridor towards Horatio's room. The hospital staff had been remarkably lenient about visiting hours. He didn't know if it had anything to do with them being cops or if Louise had put a word in for them. Either way, he was grateful. This would be the only time he could check on Horatio today. With both H and Calleigh down, the leadership of the lab had fallen to him. He'd recruited some volunteers from other shifts to help out so they weren't as short-handed as they could have been. Being in charge was no picnic, the paperwork alone was a nightmare, and his respect for both Horatio and Calleigh had grown. His respect for his other colleagues had grown, too. Ryan and Natalia had both stepped up, making his job that much easier. The only fly in the ointment had been Stetler's lurking presence. He seemed to enjoy making the lab techs nervous as he stalked the hallways. It was annoying but Eric preferred to have him there rather than haunting Ryder in hopes of pouncing on either H or Cal.

He paused when he reached Horatio's door. Ingrained politeness demanded that he knock before entering but it was early and he didn't want to disturb H if he could help it. According to the charge nurse, he'd had a rough 24 hours, running a fever on top of all the other aches and pains. The doctors had finally gotten a handle on it but it had set back his recovery that much more. Taking a breath, Eric quietly pushed the door open and walked in. As he'd suspected, Horatio was asleep. Stopping by the side of the bed, Eric frowned a little. H was definitely looking a bit worse for wear. Even paler than before, his face had that pinched look that said he was still hurting. Eric watched him for another minute or so, uncomfortably comparing his appearance to that of Marisol's just before her death. Giving his head a determined shake, Eric turned his gaze to the far wall while he regained his composure. Thinking of his sister invariably made his heart clench. He had to stop doing that, had to stop seeing Marisol when he looked at Horatio.

"Eric?"

Delko's head snapped back to the bed and he stared at his Lieutenant, "H! I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to wake you." He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly at a loss at what to say, "How are you feeling?"

"Not great," Horatio attempted a smile. He took a moment to glance around the room, "No Yelena?"

"It's early. I'm on my way in to the lab. She'll probably be here in a couple of hours." Eric rested his hands on the side rail. "I won't be able to get back here until sometime tonight. You know how it is, crime never takes a break."

"Oh."

Eric frowned a little. While Horatio was an enigma most of the time, their shared loss had made the younger man a little more adept at reading his lieutenant. "The doctors are restricting your visitors to family only until you're feeling better so you're pretty much stuck with just me and Yelena." As he'd hoped, Horatio's expression cleared a bit. Eric adopted a stern look, "But you'd better rest while you can because once they lift that restriction, this place will look like Grand Central Station. Alexx is chompin' at the bit as it is." That got the expected smile, both men were well aware of Alexx's propensity to mother her friends when the situation called for it. She tended to run roughshod over obstacles placed in her path.

"Is Calleigh okay?" Horatio couldn't help tensing a little as he asked. She'd been pretty bad off when he'd found her out there. The fear that she might be dying had plagued his dreams.

Eric took a breath. He wasn't good at lying but Horatio didn't need to hear about Calleigh's hearing or Yelena's antics just yet. He hadn't actually spent that much time with Cal now that she was awake. It was so tempting to try and renew a relationship with her but he wasn't sure if he wanted to take that chance again. What if she didn't feel the same anymore? "She doing a lot better. Her fever finally broke yesterday morning." He tried a grin, "She came by to see you. You were still sleeping."

"She did? I don't... " Horatio's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Why didn't someone wake me?" Pathetic as it sounded now, their shared ordeal in the Glades had been the closest they'd had lately to a normal relationship. Ignoring her all these weeks had been wrong. He had fences to mend with Calleigh.

"Are you kidding?" Eric snorted, "Yelena would have killed us. It was hard enough convincing her to let Calleigh in for a little bit. 'Horatio needs his rest.'" He mimicked and then shook his head, "Actually, Calleigh didn't want to disturb you either. She just wanted to see you."

"She did?" Warm surprise colored Horatio's tone. Maybe their relationship wasn't as damaged as he feared. He looked at Eric again as another unpleasant thought occurred, "She wasn't - the Burrus brothers didn't get to her after I was shot, did they?"

"No," Eric shook his head. "We got there just as Milo shot you. The SWAT guys took him down. He didn't get a chance at her." Eric mentally crossed his fingers that Horatio would leave it there. He wasn't quite sure how to explain about Calleigh's hearing loss. The general consensus was that it was tied into the shock of seeing Horatio take a bullet to the chest on top of everything else she'd been through. Everyone was gingerly skirting around the issue of Cal's mental state. If it wasn't resolved, she'd be forced to resign. Eric tried not to think about it. Calleigh lived for her work, he didn't know how she'd cope if it was taken away. He was almost positive, though, that she wouldn't stay in Miami and if that happened, he wasn't sure how he would cope. He was jolted back to the here and now with Horatio's next question.

"Would you ask her to come see me again? I'd like to be awake this time." Horatio watched his brother-in-law carefully. Eric had seemed unusually tense throughout the entire conversation. Had he and Calleigh finally talked? Had it gone badly? There was no way to know without seeing them both together.

Eric's glance shifted sideways. Oh hell. Once Horatio saw Calleigh, he'd know about her hearing loss. Would he blame himself? There was Yelena, too. She would pitch seven kinds of a fit. Neither Calleigh nor Horatio needed any additional stress right now.


	13. Chapter 13

Thank you to those who took the time to review. I appreciate the feedback.

Chapter 13

Monday,

7:15 am

"Eric?" Horatio gave his CSI a puzzled look while an uncomfortable feeling took up residence in his gut. Something else was going on - had been going on - and he hadn't been in any shape to pursue it.

"What? Oh, yeah, sure," Delko pasted a smile on and hoped it didn't look fake. "I'll let Calleigh know and see if we can coordinate the awake times. She's been sleeping a lot, too. That fever really wore her out." He tried not look like he was holding his breath, hoping Horatio wouldn't go any further. That particular conversation would require more time than he had and more healing than Horatio had.

"I guess it would," Horatio did his best not to sound disappointed. How selfish could he be? He'd been scared to death for her out in the 'Glades. Of course she'd need time to recover.

"Okay," Eric hid his relief. He glanced at his watch and then at Horatio, "Oh man, I gotta get going. I'll talk to Alexx. She's going to come by sometime today to see Calleigh and I'll have her pass your message along. Then I'll be back tonight after the shift ends." With that, he turned and strode out of the room. Once in the corridor, Eric breathed out the sigh of relief he'd been holding. That had been close. When he talked to Alexx, he would also get her opinion on how much and when to tell Horatio about everything else that was going on. They wouldn't be able to keep it from him much longer. Maybe after he got to work and got everything organized, he could slip off to the morgue for a quiet word with her - providing a new case didn't pop up right away.

Horatio watched his brother-in-law walk out and then turned his attention to the ceiling while he considered their conversation. What was it that had Eric so obviously uncomfortable? He'd bet money that it had something to do with Calleigh, but what? Was she in worse shape than he'd been led to believe? ... No, that didn't make sense, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to make the trip to his room. Well, maybe she could have - God knew the woman was stubborn enough for ten mules. If she wanted to see him, that's what she'd do, consequences be damned. Was that what had happened? She'd tried to do too much, too soon and had some sort of relapse? It could explain Eric's demeanor. He wouldn't want to disappoint Horatio but he also wouldn't want to make Calleigh worse. Horatio frowned, he hated having to guess. Dammit, why couldn't they just flat-out tell him what was going on? If they were so worried that the facts would somehow hinder his recovery, maybe they should have considered what not knowing was doing to him.

Should he ask Yelena when she got here? Horatio paused while he turned that idea around in his head. Would she tell him what he wanted to know or would she dance around the issue, too? That was another thing he'd noticed. There was some sort tension between Eric and Yelena. They'd never been that close to begin with but there'd always been a sort of professional courtesy between them. What was going on? Surely they couldn't be disagreeing over his medical treatment? He and Eric were both well aware of just how good the staff was at Ryder. Could it be the stress from him getting shot? Both had suffered the loss of a loved one to violence. Were they reacting badly and taking it out on each other? If that was the case, it would have to stop. He wasn't dying and had no intention of doing so - a fact he would have to bring to their attention as gently as he could.

Horatio shifted a little and then winced. That had hurt. Damn, he wouldn't be doing much of anything for a while if he couldn't even change position in bed. He concentrated on regulating his breathing, waiting for the pain to subside. Once it had died down a bit, he tried to regain his train of thought. That was interrupted by the arrival of one of his nurses. She gave him a quick smile as she moved to the monitors, making notations on his chart. Finally, she turned towards him with another, brighter smile, "It looks like I'm right on time with your medication. Have you been experiencing more pain?" She pulled a syringe out of her pocket, shaking her head at his non-response, "Now, Lt. Caine, we've talked about this. Being stoic is all well and good - except when it interferes with your recovery. Trying to handle the pain on your own will just wear down your reserves and then where would you be?" She rattled on, not waiting for his answer, as she inserted the needle into his IV and depressed the plunger. "I'll tell you what would happen. You could set your recovery back by days, weeks even, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that." She fussed with the leads, his pillow and blanket until his eyes drifted shut and his breathing evened out. Satisfied that she done what she could to speed her patient down the path towards full health, she left the room humming brightly.

Monday,

4:00 pm

Alexx opened the door to Calleigh's room and peeked inside. It looked like the blonde was still asleep. Alexx nodded to herself in satisfaction. The more rest Calleigh got, the better. She would be on antibiotics for the remainder of the week to make sure there was no chance of relapse. That gave them a little time to try and solve the problem of her hearing. After that, well, they could probably have her take some leave and delay the time before someone brought up permanent medical disability. God knew, it would make Rick Stetler's day if he could get Calleigh out of the lab and off the force.

Dr. Lindsay had called her and asked that she stop by again when she arrived at the hospital. As she'd expected, he wouldn't divulge anything about his initial talk with Calleigh other than to acknowledge that she was 'challenging'. Alexx snorted softly to herself, 'challenging' wasn't a word she would have used. 'Pigheaded' came to mind. Before seeing Calleigh, he'd wanted to know what Alexx knew of the breach between Calleigh and Eric, as well as the impasse with Horatio and she'd given her views. This time he'd been more interested in what she knew about Calleigh's history with the Burrus brothers. Unfortunately, that hadn't been much. She only knew what she'd heard from the rest of the team. Getting Calleigh to talk about her past was like listening to a used car salesman - most of the time, you only heard the good parts. All she could really do was direct him to Mr. Duquesne.

Moving into the room and sitting down by Calleigh's bedside, Alexx leaned back and made herself comfortable. Eric had come by to see her this morning and tell her of Horatio's request. She would have preferred that Eric do the asking - anything to get him talking to Calleigh - but knew he was swamped with work. Alexx would have to make the request but didn't have a good feeling about it. Calleigh was obviously blaming herself for what had happened. Alexx would bet money the blonde would do her best to avoid the whole thing. That had also been something she'd told Dale Lindsay, knowing he'd pursue it if necessary. In the meantime, she'd do her part in trying to convince Calleigh to see her mentor again. Alexx was hoping that talking to him would prove to the blonde that her guilty feelings were unwarranted. In the meantime, she and Eric had also decided that it was time to tell Horatio about Calleigh's hearing. They'd skirt around the issues with Yelena if at all possible. As annoying as the woman had been, she was his family and, however misguided they felt she was, no doubt had his best interests at heart.

Alexx glanced at her watch. Tripp was going to come by soon to get the blonde's official statement and had agreed to the ME's attendance. While Frank knew that Calleigh was normally the epitome of professionalism no matter what her personal feelings, neither he nor Alexx knew how she was going to react under these circumstances. The big Texan, not a touchy-feely type of guy under normal conditions, would at a complete loss dealing with an uncharacteristically emotional Calleigh. He definitely wanted backup. Alexx broke off her musings as Calleigh began to shift. A few moments later, the ME was smiling warmly at her sleepy-eyed friend, "Hi sweetie, how are you feeling?"

Calleigh rubbed her eyes and then smothered a yawn with her hand. It was harder to stifle the wave of disappointment. Every time she woke up, she hoped that somehow her hearing would have re-asserted itself. According to her doctors, there was no reason it couldn't start working again. They refrained from reiterating that there was no reason for it not to be working. She offered up a small smile, "Hey Alexx. Have you been here long? You should have woken me up."

Alexx waved a disparaging hand while swallowing a sigh. There'd apparently been no improvement in Calleigh's hearing. She picked up the slate and chalk Dale had left and quickly wrote her message: 'Feeling better?'

Calleigh pushed herself a little more upright and shrugged, "Except for the quiet. I keep getting stuck in my head." She tried not wince as that last part slipped out. Damn, she would add self-control to the list of things that were lacking. The ME knew her too well not to realize what she'd meant. Sure enough, there was a flash of sympathy before Alexx's face resumed its normal expression.

Alexx busied herself with the chalkboard again, trying not to react too much to what Calleigh had said. She knew the blonde wouldn't appreciate what she would probably interpret as pity. She wrote out her next message and repeated it out loud as she held it up, "Frank's coming. Needs your statement. Okay?"

Carefully keeping her expression neutral, Calleigh nodded. Talking to Tripp about this whole ordeal was the last thing she wanted to do but knew it was necessary. If there was one point of solace, it was that Frank would keep it strictly professional. His poker face was just as good as hers. Visualizing that was almost enough to make her smile - the two of them determinedly pretending that this interview was business as usual. At least it would be Frank conducting it. She was halfway surprised that Stetler hadn't managed to insert himself somehow. He'd have a field day with her hearing loss.

Calleigh's brow furrowed slightly as she considered that. Why hadn't Stetler shown up? He'd love this. He'd have her out of the lab and the police department before she could say 'boo'. She looked at Alexx, "Does Stetler know I can't hear?"

Alexx's face took on a stubborn expression as she wrote her reply, "No, none of his business."

The blonde rolled her eyes, "Alexx, come on, I can't do my job. He's going to have to know."

"IAB, not HR. None of his business." Alexx scribbled out as quickly as she could. She couldn't believe she was actually arguing about this with Calleigh.

Calleigh was silent for a moment, digesting that. Finally, she ventured, "Does Human Resources know?" She figured her career was over. If the hearing loss wasn't enough, the fact that it was all in her head was probably the final nail in the coffin. Police departments frowned on mentally unstable employees. Damn, what the hell was she going to do with the rest of her life?

Alexx chewed on her lower lip while she considered her answer. Bureaucracy was actually working in their favor at the moment. Calleigh was on medical leave and, as far as she could tell, HR hadn't requested anything beyond the initial medical report when the blonde was admitted. Until Calleigh was discharged and the final medical report was filed, no one outside the lab knew. Surprisingly, considering how gossip flew about the place, the lab personnel were being remarkably tight-lipped about what they did know. Not everyone liked the ballistics expert but there were enough that did to keep anyone else from talking out of school. The fact that no one liked Stetler, and that he was hanging around annoying people, helped keep a lid on the rumors.

Finally, the ME shook her head. At Calleigh's incredulous look, she turned her attention to the chalkboard, "You're on medical leave until further notice. They don't keep up on day-to-day."

Calleigh shook her head as she read the message. She looked at Alexx again, "How many people know?" The reply of 'Most of the lab.' floored her. They knew? Dear god, how could Stetler NOT know? The lab dispersed gossip like a politician made campaign promises. Alexx's hand waving got her attention again and she looked at the next message. Her face clouded over. 'Horatio didn't know yet, but would - wanted to see her.' Calleigh reflexively shook her head, "No." As far as she was concerned, there were three ways this could go - none of them good. He'd be angry about nearly getting killed and the distance between them would widen to an impassable chasm; he'd find some way to blame himself about her hearing loss and his guilt would have him pulling even further away or, and this was the worst, she'd find herself lumped in with the children and various and sundry helpless women Horatio was forever looking out for. She didn't need his pity.

Alexx took on a determined expression as she wrote, "Yes. Scared him to death. Needs to see you."

Calleigh shook her head again, "No... I don't... look, just tell him not to worry."

"Uh-uh," Alexx shook her head, while writing furiously, "No way. You saw him. He sees you."

"Alexx," Calleigh paused, trying to curb the exasperation in her voice, "Alexx, it's bad enough he nearly got killed because of me and I can't even remember it. You know he'll find some way to blame himself about my hearing. He doesn't need that right now, does he?"

The ME hesitated for just a moment before shaking her head again, "Harder if you avoid him. He'll start imagining the worst. Needs that even less." Fleetingly, she wondered if the chalk would wear out before she managed to change Calleigh's mind. They needed a better way to communicate. Damn stubborn woman.

Calleigh looked away, wishing for some avenue of escape. What Alexx had written made perfect sense on an intellectual level but it was near impossible to control her emotional response. These past months had been painful as hell as the man she thought the world of, had methodically ignored her existence. Until this fiasco with the Burrus brothers, he'd barely been speaking to her at all. Nearly getting him killed, however, topped all of that. Good God, how was she going to face him? In all the years she'd worked for him, she'd never disappointed him, never given him cause to regret hiring her - until now. She couldn't help jumping when the ME's hand gripped her shoulder.

Alexx kept her expression calm with difficulty. Even with everything Owens had put her through, she'd never seen Calleigh so close to panic. That it was because of Horatio didn't bode well. She and Lindsay were going to have their work cut out for them.

"Is this a bad time?" Frank's voice came from the doorway. It looked like Alexx and Calleigh were in the middle of something intense. He kept his expression neutral as both women looked at him. Alexx regained her composure first and smiled, waving him in. Calleigh was having a harder time, so he ignored her - focusing his attention on Alexx.

He started to shake his head when she got up so he could have the chair but Alexx spoke up first, "It's okay, I'll just sit on the bed. Calleigh can still see us both." Frank nodded slowly. He had to hand it to her, if he'd hadn't walked in on the two, he would have never guessed anything was going on. Finally he shot a quick glance at Calleigh and was relieved to see her looking like she normally did. He relaxed in the chair and was rewarded with a slight relaxation of the blonde's posture as well. That was something. He knew this wasn't going to be easy for her.

Frank cleared his throat, looking from one woman to the other. "Okay then." He shifted in the chair so he was leaning forward and focused on Calleigh, "Why don't you start at the beginning?" Calleigh regarded him with mild annoyance and then looked over to see that Alexx had written his question out. Her expression cleared a little as she took a deep breath, "I got a call around 10:30 or so from Natalia... "

Ninety minutes later, she was rubbing her temples, attempting to ease the pounding headache that had developed. Calleigh gave Frank an exasperated look, "I don't know how many ways you want me to say it, Frank. Like I've been telling you, I finally found this shed that was falling apart and that's where I spent the night. I remember leaving it in the morning and things are a blur after that. Then I wake up here."

Running a hand over his head, Frank shot a quick look at Alexx before returning his gaze to Calleigh, "Just one more time, then. How much of a blur?"

Automatically looking at the chalkboard, Calleigh tried to hang on to her fraying temper, "A lot." With a sigh, she repeated what she'd been saying all along, "I remember feeling sick and wanting to lie down. I remember slogging through water. I remember feeling scared... " Calleigh paused, her eyes widening a little as another little tidbit broke through, "I remember I lost the phone." Her head dropped as she concentrated, staring absently at her hands. The nicks and cuts were healing although her wrists were still bandaged. The dressings were lighter than before and she could just see the edges of the bruising. It still hurt but was growing less each day. Turning her arm slightly, she gave a faint grimace at the bandage covering her forearm. She'd have a scar to serve as a visual reminder of the man she'd killed - something she'd just as soon forget. Damn irony. Why couldn't she remember the rest? Calleigh sighed as she looked at Alexx and Frank. There was one thing she wanted to make clear, "I knew y'all would find me. I knew. I didn't give up."

Alexx gave her a warm smile as she nodded, "We know, baby."

There was silence again as the blonde went back to concentrating. The other two waited patiently. There wasn't much else they could do. Abruptly, Calleigh shoved herself back into the pillows, covering her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I don't know. I can't get anything else to focus." Her voice was thick with frustration.

Frank glanced at Alexx with a resigned look. He'd been hoping for a little more. The case seemed pretty straightforward but he'd learned never to be overconfident. Truth wasn't always a clear winner in court - not with defense lawyers doing their best to muddy the waters. He was hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees. "I guess we're done for now."

"For now?" Alexx raised an inquiring eyebrow. "There's no telling if Calleigh will ever be able to fully separate the reality from the delirium. Don't you have enough to figure the rest of it out? We know it was the Burrus brothers behind everything and Natalia told me about Harry Ross." He was a former detective from New Orleans who'd moved to Miami a few years ago to work for a private security firm. Natalia was certain he'd been the one who'd taken Calleigh from the scene. He matched the description that several officers had given and hadn't been seen at work or anywhere else for nearly a week. Eric and Ryan had been there at the end and Horatio would probably fill in what Calleigh couldn't. What else was there to know? She scowled as another thought occurred, "Don't tell me someone is questioning what happened. That's ridiculous."

Tripp straightened up, rolling his eyes, "Welcome to the American justice system. You know how defense lawyers are. If there's a way to shift blame - they'll find it, and it's not just Calleigh they'll target, it's Horatio, too." He glanced to the side for a moment, "You know he's been involved in more shootings lately. No one's done anything yet but the brass are nervous. Just the whisper of a lawsuit and they'll be in full-blown panic."

"But he's been cleared each time - each one was justified," Alexx interjected defensively. It was true but it didn't make her any less uncomfortable. It was obvious to her that Horatio paid a price for every life he took. Each time, it seemed he pulled a little further away from those that cared about him. Before the rift in their relationship, Calleigh had been his anchor, the one who kept him in touch with his humanity. Whether he acknowledged it or not, Horatio needed her. Alexx sighed, wishing there was an easy way to solve all this, "Besides, according to Eric, Horatio didn't shoot anyone." She didn't add 'this time', knowing how it would sound even though Tripp was on their side.

"What's wrong?"

Both Alexx and Frank turned back towards Calleigh who was watching them intently. Tripp shook his head while Alexx picked up the chalkboard and quickly scrawled a message, chastising herself at the same time. Knowing Calleigh couldn't hear them had made it way too easy to ignore her presence altogether. That was inexcusable.

Calleigh frowned as she read and then looked at the other two, "There's no way a lawyer could get Milo or his brothers off after this."

Alexx nodded, "I know."

She wrote on the chalkboard again and showed it to Calleigh who rolled her eyes and unknowingly echoed Alexx, "That's ridiculous."

"I know," Alexx grinned as she repeated herself.

Both women turned to look at Frank, who'd climbed to his feet. He nodded to Calleigh, "We're done here. Thanks." He hesitated, shot a glance at Alexx and cleared his throat, "I'm glad we've got you back. You hang in there." Not waiting for Alexx to write it down, he nodded one more time and walked out.

Calleigh gave Alexx a questioning look and then smiled after the ME finished writing out what Tripp had said, "He's one of the good ones."

"You know it, baby," Alexx agreed. Erasing the last message, she put in a new one. Turning it towards Calleigh, she raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, her attitude perfectly clear.

Calleigh leaned back into the pillows and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment in exasperation. She should have known the ME would get back to this. Alexx was not going to let it go nor would she take no for an answer. The woman was relentless. That left only one viable solution. With a feeling of dread, Calleigh looked at her friend and slowly nodded, "Fine, I'll see him but I think this is a really bad idea."

Alexx smiled reassuringly, "Don't you worry, sweetie, everything will be okay."


	14. Chapter 14

Thanks for the reviews - even, I suppose, the one that called the story lame and stagnant. Can't say I've ever had that said before but it's a valid viewpoint, so let me apologize to that reader now. For those of you still willing to wade through the dreck, I appreciate it. Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 14

Monday,

4:30 pm

Horatio turned his head as the door opened. His eyebrows rose in surprise to see Dale Lindsay walk in. He cleared his throat, wincing just a little, "Dale?"

Lindsay nodded and smiled in greeting as he walked up to the bed. He stood for a moment, surveying the bed and all its attendant equipment and then arched an eyebrow, "You were supposed to duck."

"Knew I forgot something," Horatio retorted, eyeing the doctor warily. He fumbled for the control and raised the bed a bit more. Dale wasn't one for social visits and Horatio wasn't feeling up to much verbal sparring. "Isn't it a little early to start the head shrinking?"

Dale rolled his eyes, pretending to sound resigned, "I've told you before, my people are from Jersey. We don't shrink heads, we expand waistlines." He pulled up a chair and settled in, "Actually, I'd like to talk to you about Ms. Duquesne."

Horatio shifted suddenly, gasping at the pain it caused. He took a moment to get his breath, "What about Calleigh? What's wrong?" Dammit, he knew something had been going on.

Lindsay held up a hand, "Calm down. Physically, she's recovering nicely." He paused a bit, tilting his head to the side, "Mentally, it's a bit more of a challenge."

Horatio gave a slight nod at that. Being kidnapped was traumatizing enough and considering Calleigh's history with the Burrus brothers, he wasn't surprised to hear she was having problems dealing with it. "I can imagine. Milo and his brothers must have scared the hell out of her. She's seen firsthand what they're capable of. Have you talked to Mr. Duquesne?"

"I have," Dale's gaze sharpened, "and it's not just the Burrus brothers she's dealing with. There's you."

"What?" Horatio stiffened, grimaced and then shrugged it off as he focused on Lindsay. Did the psychiatrist know that he'd been avoiding her before all this? "What are you talking about?"

"When was the last time you two sat down and talked to each other?" Dale folded his arms as he leaned back in the chair. Dr. Woods was an observant woman and he valued her insight. She'd neither pulled any punches nor taken sides in the rift that had developed between her two friends.

Horatio glanced away uncomfortably. It had to have been Eric or Alexx. He was leaning towards Alexx, "We work together, we talk every day." At Dale's raised eyebrow, he added defensively, "Almost every day, then. What does this have to do with the Burrus brothers?"

"We'll get to that in a minute," Dale shifted into his usual posture, resting his chin on his fist. "I was sorry to hear about your wife."

Horatio froze for a split second at the unexpected change of subject and then exhaled carefully, "Thank you."

"Have you talked to anyone about it? Or about your brother?" Dale's voice was quietly sympathetic.

"I'm fine," Horatio didn't quite snap but his tone was considerably colder.

Dale raised an eyebrow, "Okay." He shifted his position, "She must have been pretty special."

"She was," Horatio's voice softened although his expression remained leery. What in the world did Marisol have to do with Calleigh and Burrus brothers?

"How long had you two known each other?" Lindsay's expression conveyed nothing but polite interest.

Horatio glanced away again. It had seemed perfectly logical at the time but, in hindsight, it sounded terribly rushed. He inhaled softly, "Three months."

Both of Dale's eyebrows rose, "She must have been quite a woman. How did you meet?"

Letting his chin drop, Horatio's eyes drifted to the side, his voice neutral, "She ran into some trouble. I helped her fix it."

"And she was grateful," Dale prodded gently.

Horatio's eyes came up to meet Lindsay's with a glint of defiance, "She was. She offered to make dinner for me. I accepted and it went from there."

"A real-life whirlwind romance," Dale leaned back in the chair, steepling his fingers. "I have to admit, I was surprised to hear you'd gotten married. No offense, but you've never struck me as the impetuous sort.

"It wasn't like that," Horatio tried not sound overly defensive. "Marisol had cancer." His gaze dropped to his hands, "She was so brave. She wanted a life, children. There wasn't a lot of time to waste."

"Ah."

'Ah'? Horatio scowled irritably. He was tired of discussing his personal life, "What does any of this have to do with Calleigh?"

"You went after the people who killed your wife." Dale made it a statement while apparently ignoring Horatio's question altogether.

"They'd committed murder. I'm a cop. They had to answer for their crimes," Horatio met Dale's gaze defiantly.

"All the way to Brazil?"

"I'd have followed that son of a bitch to hell," Horatio's voice was barely above an icy whisper.

"Eric went with you." Again, Dale wasn't asking a question.

"He had the right. Marisol was his sister," Horatio was rapidly losing patience. "What does this have to do with Calleigh?" he repeated.

"You left her in charge of the lab," Dale stated matter-of-factly. "How'd she do?"

"Fine," Horatio said through gritted teeth.

"So fine that you let her keep on running things once you'd returned?"

"I didn't - ," Horatio stopped momentarily and then raised his chin defensively, "I delegated a bit more, that's all. Calleigh was okay with it."

Dale tilted his head, "How would you know? From what I understand, you two weren't speaking much."

"We were busy," Horatio frowned uncomfortably, "And Calleigh's experienced enough to lead her own team. She didn't need me to constantly hold her hand."

"So you're ignoring her wasn't because you were angry with her over the break-up with your brother-in-law, Eric?"

"No, of course not!" Horatio glanced away for a moment, "I wasn't happy about it but really wasn't any of my business." He took a breath, mindful of the pain, "Look, after Marisol... " Horatio took a moment, "After Marisol, it was hard to get back into the rhythm of work. I wasn't singling Calleigh out for anything. I just needed some time."

"And the argument you two had when a suspect shot at her? After that, I understand you turned avoiding her into an art form."

"I - " Horatio clamped his lips shut. At the time, it hadn't seemed that bad. Work was busy, they both had things to do. Her reports were always on time in his in-box. Looking at it now though, it was easier to see the little things he'd done to avoid having to talk to her face to face - turning left instead of right down a hallway, slipping into labs on the pretext of checking progress on cases, keeping his focus intently on the victims instead of the people around him. She could reach him by phone - that had been enough. Horatio dropped his gaze to his hands, "I don't know what I was thinking."

Dale stared at him, "Sure you do. You'd locked yourself into a self-destructive pattern after Marisol's murder and Ray's death. Calleigh was the only one to call you on it and you punished her for it." His expression softened a little, "You need to let go of the guilt. It's destroying you and the people around you. If you don't want to talk to me, then let me recommend someone. One way or another, you need to talk this out." When Horatio finally nodded slowly, Dale stood up, "I'll put together a list of people who can help. We can keep this unofficial." With that, the psychiatrist walked out of the room.

Horatio watched the door close and then leaned back into the pillows. Having his actions of these past months laid out like that made him wonder if he had lost his mind somewhere along the way. He didn't like who he'd become lately. He'd pulled away from his team, people he thought of as family, and it needed to stop. He'd never wanted to experience the pain of losing anyone else again and had isolated himself to the point where he'd nearly lost them anyway.

o o o o o

Monday,

5:45 pm

"Eric."

Eric turned to see Dale Lindsay walking towards him. He stopped and waited for the psychiatrist to catch up, "Hey Doc, did you need me for something?" Eric knew Dale had been talking to Alexx about Horatio and Calleigh and figured it was now his turn to provide whatever pertinent information he possessed.

Dale eyed the younger man, "Do you have some time to talk?" At Delko's nod, Dale turned and headed up the corridor towards his office. Once inside, he gestured for Eric to take a seat while he dropped into his own chair. He stared at the CSI for a long moment while considering how to broach the subject he wanted to discuss. The psychiatrist decided to be blunt, "Are you still involved with Calleigh Duquesne?"

Eric froze and then forced himself to relax, "We're only friends. Calleigh didn't want to take it any further."

Dale nodded to himself, "So you're both seeing other people?"

"Yes - well, no, I mean, I was but it's over. I'm not sure about Calleigh," Eric stuttered a little, still somewhat surprised at the line of questioning. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Are Calleigh and Horatio in a relationship?" Dale watched the other man carefully. He'd been checking into the visitor's logs and Eric's visits to Ms. Duquesne had dropped off considerably once her fever had broken. Was Delko trying to avoid any seeming display of impropriety? Dale was aware of the disruption that Ms. Salas had caused as well as her reasons. What he wasn't sure about was if those reasons were true. It was certainly possible. God knew both Caine and Duquesne were experts at evasion. If Caine was her lover, it might explain Duquesne's reaction to his shooting.

"God, no," Eric snapped. Dammit, why did everyone think those two were involved romantically?

Dale raised at eyebrow at the other man's vehemence. It seemed out of place unless... he tilted his head to side, "Are you and Horatio... ?"

Eric's look of surprise was almost comic and then the outrage took over, "No! He's not... and neither am I! What the hell kind of question was that?"

"Sorry," Dale raised both hands before clasping them together and leaning forward, "I'm just trying to understand the situation. You seemed annoyed about the idea of Horatio and Calleigh together. Since Ms. Duquesne is only a friend, I wasn't sure where the annoyance was coming from."

Eric glanced away, his temper rising. Dammit, there was no way he wanted to admit to the psychiatrist that he was still in love with Calleigh. He'd thought he'd gotten over the blonde and had done a pretty good job of convincing himself until he'd been faced with her possible death. Those few hours before they'd figured out the ruse had been hell. In a way, it had been worse than Marisol. At least with his sister, he hadn't had to agonize over what might have happened to her before she was shot. Now he was in a quandry. She'd told him over the phone that she still loved him. Granted, at the time, she been hurt, scared and unsure if she'd survive the next day but if there was one thing he knew about Calleigh, it was that she wouldn't have said it if it hadn't been true. As elated as he'd been, and despite the fact that he knew he still loved her, Eric now wasn't sure if it was enough to take another chance with his heart. Knowing how easily he could fall again, he'd been curtailing his visits to her. Keeping up with work and checking on Horatio had provided a legitimate excuse that even Alexx had accepted. Eric finally looked back at Dale, "Horatio's our boss. He wouldn't allow that sort of impropriety and it's irritating that everyone keeps assuming he would. Besides, he's almost old enough to be her father."

Dale ducked his head, scrubbing at his chin to hide a smile. If that last statement wasn't generated by jealousy, he'd turn in his shingle. Clearing his throat, he looked back up at Eric, his expression bland, "I don't think the age difference would be that much of a factor." He steepled his fingers, "Has your break-up with Ms. Duquesne affected your friendship?"

Eric shrugged uncomfortably, "Maybe. A little, I guess."

"I'm asking because it seems that your visits have dropped off lately. She's going through a rough time and, as a friend, I would have thought you'd have tried to increase your time with her."

While Dale's tone had been more questioning than accusatory, Eric couldn't help feeling guilty and he reacted angrily, "Hey, there's only so many hours in the day. I've got work and I need to see Horatio, too. I'm doing the best I can."

"I'm sure you are," Dale spoke placatingly, "I was just making an observation." He stood up and held out a hand, "Thanks for taking the time to speak with me."

Eric stood also, shaking Dale's hand while frowning slightly. That was it? Damn, this entire interview had left him feeling uneasy. He'd hoped to learn more about Calleigh's prognosis without having to come right out and ask. "Is Calleigh going to be alright? Will she be able to hear again?"

Dale looked at him and then shook his head, "Sorry, I couldn't say."

"Can't or won't?" Eric replied somewhat sourly.

Shrugging with a bit of smile, Dale raised his hands, "Whichever works, I suppose." He tilted his head to the side, "Although if you're that curious, you could go talk to Ms. Duquesne. I'm sure she'd appreciate the visit. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment coming in in about ten minutes and I'd like to review my files."

Eric found himself back out in the hallway still feeling disgruntled. Turning to the left, he scrubbed a hand through his hair and started walking. Maybe he should go see Calleigh now that she was awake and coherent. What was he worried about? They were friends, visiting her was what a friend would do. It didn't have to mean anything.

Tuesday,

10:30 am

Yelena Salas crossed her arms and regarded Mr. Duquesne with thinly-veiled impatience, "This was supposed to be one time only. What are you doing?" She ignored the real target of her ire as if that would somehow help make the woman disappear.

Vaguely wishing Eric Delko was here to run interference, Duke kept his voice calm with an effort. It wouldn't do to start a yelling match in the middle of a hospital nor did he want to continue standing out in the hallway with his daughter hanging on his arm. She'd insisted on walking now that the IV had been discontinued in favor of oral medication. So far, she'd managed the trip just fine but he wasn't about to tax her stamina if he could help it. "Horatio asked to see Calleigh and we're complying with his wishes." He didn't add that he would have preferred not to have this meeting either. He knew his daughter felt responsible for the Lieutenant's condition. While it wasn't the most rational thing she'd ever come up with, it was also pretty fresh in her mind. Calleigh needed time to step back and view the whole incident objectively. She would eventually - that was just how she was. In the meantime, he didn't think seeing Horatio again was going to help. At this point, it would just reinforce the guilt.

Calleigh looked from Yelena to her father. Not being able to hear didn't make her completely clueless. Yelena was steadfastly blocking the door and wasn't trying hard to hide her annoyance. She obviously didn't want them to see Horatio. Her father was also annoyed although you had to know him to see it. He had on his 'court' face, the one that proclaimed all was right with the world. It was the face he wore when his client was a lying SOB who was guilty as sin and deserved to be in whatever deep, dark hole the prosecutor wanted to bury the bastard; and that Kenwall, personally, would like to heave in the first shovelful of dirt.

She found herself ambivalent about this latest development. On one hand, here was the perfect excuse not to see Horatio. On the other, there was that damned sense of outrage that said Yelena had no right to countermand Horatio's wishes. Calleigh would bet money that Yelena hadn't spoken to her brother-in-law about it at all and was doing an end run around what should be his decision. She took a deep breath, not quite believing she was about to argue for something she definitely did not want to do. "Yelena." When the woman reluctantly shifted her gaze over, Calleigh raised an eyebrow, "Let us in or I'll start screaming and then you can explain to Horatio why you wouldn't let me see him." At Yelena's look of disbelief, the blonde tilted her head, "Being in a hospital is nothing but one humiliating experience after another. Don't think for a moment that it would bother me to add one more to the list."

Kenwall kept the amusement off his face as Yelena sputtered over this latest development. "I would listen to her, Ms. Salas. My daughter is not bluffing. I doubt Lt. Caine would react well." Silently, he willed the stubborn woman to concede she'd been outmaneuvered. Calleigh was subtly shifting more of her weight to his arm. She would need to sit down and soon.

Abruptly, Yelena stepped to the side, irritation plain on her face. As they started to pass by, Yelena glared daggers at Kenwall, "She doesn't deserve him."

Concealing his irritation that Yelena was persisting in her belief of some sort of romantic feelings between Calleigh and Horatio, Kenwall returned her look with a bland one of his own, "Neither do you."

They walked into Horatio's room and Kenwall guided Calleigh to the chair beside the bed. It looked like the Lieutenant was asleep. He glanced back at his daughter. She was perched on the edge of the chair, looking like a kid waiting to see the principal. Duke frowned slightly, wishing there'd been some way to postpone this meeting. It was too damn soon, in his opinion. Not that that mattered much, it was Calleigh's decision and, obviously, this was what she felt she had to do. She didn't want to, that much was also obvious to Duke. He gave her a reassuring smile and then leaned on the side rail, "Lt. Caine? Calleigh's here. Lieutenant?"

Horatio's eyes fluttered open as he turned his head towards the voice. He hadn't meant to doze off. It was annoying as hell that he didn't seem to have any control over it. His eyes widened a bit at the sight of Duke Duquesne. That had to mean... "Would you raise the bed, please?" his voice was raspy with sleep and impatience. He hated that he couldn't manage to even sit up on his own. Calleigh was still out of his line of sight. Kenwall obliged and then moved down the bedside to a spot just below his daughter. Part of Horatio's mind noted that and wondered why the man didn't excuse himself altogether but most of his attention was focused on the blonde in front of him. He gave her a smile as he ducked his head a little, "It's good to see you. Are you all right?"

Calleigh smiled back at him, not looking at her father just yet. It didn't take a genius to realize what his first words would be. "I'm fine, Horatio. How are you doing?"

"Better now, I was worried about you."

Calleigh concentrated intently. It definitely looked like he'd said he was better. The knot in her stomach grew larger. This was better? Four days in the hospital and he could barely raise his head off his pillow? God Almighty, what had she done? She took a ragged breath. There was a growing buzzing in her head that she doubted had anything to do with her hearing. It accentuated the ache in her gut. Here at last was the cold, hard reality. Horatio had very nearly died because of her. No wonder Eric only rarely visited. Although her father insisted Eric had spent hours by her bedside, she was having a hard time believing it. Why would he? She'd almost been responsible for the loss of a man Eric considered a brother.

"Calleigh? I'm going to be fine." Horatio watched her, somewhat disturbed by the expression on her face. This wasn't going well. He hadn't wanted to upset her. He'd just needed to know that she was okay after everything she'd been through. His brow furrowed slightly when she didn't react to his reassurance. "Calleigh, did you hear me? The doctor said a full recovery. It's okay."

"She can't hear you, Lieutenant." Kenwall said quietly from his vantage point. It was obvious no one had clued Caine in. He didn't like what he was seeing. His daughter was shutting down in front of him. This needed to stop now.

"What?" Horatio shot a startled look at the older man and winced a little.

"She can't hear," Kenwall repeated bluntly as he stepped forward. "We don't know why. I'm taking her back to her room and then I'll come back and talk to you about this." He touched Calleigh's shoulder, smiling reassuringly when she jumped a little and gave him a surprised look. He gestured with his other hand and tilted his head towards the door, "Let's go."

"What? Daddy, no, I... " Calleigh shook her head, bewildered. The damn buzzing made it hard to think.

"Yes," Kenwall nodded firmly as he put a hand under her arm and lifted. She came up out of the chair slightly hunched and paler than before. Calleigh didn't fight him as he turned them towards the door. That in itself was cause for alarm in his book. Kenwall glanced over his shoulder to see Horatio watching them in silent consternation. "I'll be back after she's settled." He paused for a moment and then decided what the hell; he was in no mood to be trifled with, "Please tell Ms. Salas to let me in. I'm tired of fighting with her about seeing you." He felt not the slightest bit of remorse as the surprise on Horatio's face gave way to a harder look. Lt. Caine, if he didn't miss his guess, was about to have a come-to-Jesus meeting with his sister-in-law. It served the woman right.

Ninety minutes later, Duke stepped out of Lt. Caine's room and rubbed the back of his neck. This morning had certainly been a test of his willpower. If it hadn't driven him to the bar yet, not much else would. The only bright spot, if you could call it that, was the conspicuous absence of Ms. Salas. It had taken the better part of thirty minutes to get Calleigh settled. She'd looked about ready to cry, but typically, hadn't let one teardrop fall. At least she'd let him hold her for a while. Eventually, she'd grown drowsy enough that he could ease her back against the pillows. He'd tucked the blankets around her and given her a kiss on the forehead. It had been vaguely reminiscent of the times he'd put her to bed when she was little and the only scary things to deal with had been the monsters under the bed. That was before he'd discovered the allure of Jim Beam and wound up replacing the monsters in his children's world.

Caine hadn't seemed much happier than Calleigh and his physical condition compounded the problem. He'd looked positively ashen when Kenwall had returned to his room. Duke had seriously considered not saying anything at all but the man had been desperate for information. Kenwall wasn't sure which had surprised the Lieutenant more - that Calleigh's hearing loss seemed tied to his shooting or that she apparently was unable to remember anything of her rescue beyond the early morning of the day they'd found her. Caine had been quick to realize the consequences, however. If Calleigh didn't improve and was forced to resign, the chances were slim that she'd remain in Miami. There'd be too many reminders of what she'd lost. Duke wasn't altogether sure that would be a bad thing. He would certainly sleep easier if Calleigh found another, safer profession. He didn't bring it up with the Lieutenant, however. Until the problem was resolved, there was no point in speculating. That left the timing of Calleigh's next visit as the biggest disagreement between the two men. Lt. Caine wanted to see her again as soon as possible. Duke wanted to wait until she'd had time to digest everything that had happened.

The elder Duquesne glanced up and down the hallway again before starting towards Calleigh's room. Caine had managed to tip the balance in his favor with one important point. He'd be able to tell Calleigh what had happened up until the SWAT team had arrived. Perhaps it would be enough to release the memories she had locked away and she'd see that none of this was her fault. Caine had been adamant that he didn't blame Calleigh for his injuries. Now they just had to convince his very stubborn daughter to see it that way, too. Duke shook his head over that thought. It wasn't going to be easy - not with the Burrus brothers being involved. Duke paused in his progress while he considered that angle and then reversed direction. He needed to see Dale Lindsay first and bounce an idea off him. He grimaced slightly to himself. If Dr. Lindsay thought his proposal had merit, it was going to be more than a little uncomfortable to implement. He shook his head again, there was no point in putting the cart before the horse. First, he'd talk to Lindsay.

Tuesday,

3:15 pm

Natalia stepped out of the elevator and started across the reception area. The case she was working on was one of the weirder ones, to say the least. A man had been found dead in his bathroom. There hadn't been a mark on him and the tox report was inconclusive. The wife was claiming responsibility, saying she had wished him dead and he'd promptly complied. According to her, it was apparently the first time in their thirty years of marriage that he'd done what she asked without arguing. Alexx was still working on the autopsy. So far, nothing obvious like a heart attack or aneurysm had appeared. In a morbid sort of way, it was a relief to have a case like this. The gallows humor had been flying, relieving some of the stress everyone was feeling. It would be weeks before Horatio would be back and no one knew what was going to happen with Calleigh. Eric was handling it so far but Stetler kept popping in unexpectedly, keeping everyone on edge. If he was angling to be put in charge of the lab, Natalia firmly hoped that hell would freeze over first.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

It took her a second to realize she was being addressed. Natalia turned to see a young man approaching. He was short and stocky with close-cropped light brown hair. His tanned skin set off brilliant blue eyes and he was just handsome enough to turn a few heads. He was also married as she automatically noted the wedding band. As he got closer, she revised her estimate of his age upward and closer to her own. Natalia gave him a polite smile, "May I help you?"

"I hope so, ma'am." He jerked a thumb towards the receptionist, "I'm trying to find Calleigh Duquesne and all the lady will tell me is that she isn't in. Her cell is going to voicemail and I'm getting her answering machine at home."

Natalia eyed him warily. There was the slightest trace of a southern accent in his voice. While this was probably a legitimate acquaintance of Calleigh's, assuming he was telling the truth about having her cell and home phone numbers, the remaining Burrus brother still remained at large. What if he'd contacted yet another relative to try and find out where Calleigh was so they could finish what they'd started? She folded her arms, "May I ask what your business is with her?"

He looked annoyed, "Who are you?"

Natalia drew herself up a little, "A colleague of hers." She saw Frank Tripp walk in and got his attention with a look.

The big detective came over, giving the other man the barest of glances before addressing the brunette, "Hey Natalia, you need something?"

"Hi, Frank. This gentleman is looking for Calleigh," Natalia gestured towards the stranger, her expression turning puzzled at the sudden look of recognition on his face.

"You're Natalia Boa Vista?" She nodded and he turned towards Frank, "And Detective Frank Tripp?"

Frank folded his arms, rocking back slightly on his heels, "Yeah, so?"

The younger man grinned, "So - nothing. Cal's talked about y'all quite a bit over the years." He held out a hand to Frank while nodding to Natalia, "TJ Duquesne, Calleigh's my sister."

Natalia realized her mouth was hanging open and closed it with a snap. "You're Calleigh's brother?" she asked faintly, as she remembered her manners and extended her hand. Somehow, she'd known that Calleigh had siblings but couldn't recall any conversation where the blonde had specifically mentioned them. Family wasn't a popular subject with Calleigh. It must have been Alexx or Eric who'd said something about it.

"Yes, ma'am," TJ looked from Natalia to Frank expectantly, "So now that I pass inspection, will someone tell me where Calleigh is?"

Oh hell, he obviously didn't know. Why hadn't Mr. Duquesne contacted him? Natalia's eyes widened a bit and she glanced at Frank. He nodded and gestured for her to go. This wasn't the place. She waved a hand to the side as she started to walk, putting action to words, "I think you'd better come with me."

His smile was suddenly gone and he hurried after her, "Why? What's going on? Where is she?"

She held up her hand without slackening her pace, heading for an unused interrogation room. Once inside, she looked to see if anyone was watching. TJ stared at her worriedly, "Where's my sister?"

Natalia glanced away for a second while taking a breath, "Calleigh's in the hospital." She put out a hand as TJ's face grew paler, "She's going to be fine. Why don't we sit down?"

TJ dropped with a thump into the closest chair. Natalia watched as he scrubbed a hand over his head and then felt her own sense of shock when he glared at her and growled, "It was Milo, wasn't it?"


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: First off, I'd like to thank those of you who have offered your support and are enjoying the story. I appreciate it. I've always felt the CSI-Miami writers had (and have) a disconcerting habit of jumping from Point A to Point D without worrying about B or C. That sort of thing bugs me and so, I try to fix it in the context of my stories while following in the general direction of canon. As I stated at the beginning of this story, this will be Calleigh and Eric - eventually. It takes place before 'Man Down' when all that was happening between the two was mild flirting.

All that being said, I've got to say the fun of working on this story has kind of gone by the wayside. I assumed if someone reading this didn't like it, they'd stop reading and go find a story that better answered their tastes. Taking the time to complain about content (not grammar, spelling or plot holes, etc.) is a waste of everyone's time. 'Lame' and 'stagnant' are not words conducive to warm and fuzzy feelings and it's specious to argue otherwise. This is how I write. So, if you don't like the direction and pace - please, stop reading now, you're certainly not going to enjoy the next couple of chapters either.

Chapter 15

Tuesday,

3:40 pm

Natalia's eyebrows rose, "You know about the Burrusses?

"More than I've ever wanted to about those bastards, believe me," TJ's voice was a semi-growl. He suddenly looked sheepish, "Excuse my language ma'am. I don't usually swear in front of ladies. I guess I'm a tad more tired than I thought. It's been a long day and my head doesn't know if it's coming or going."

The brunette waved a hand, "It's okay. I can't imagine how upsetting this must be for you. You're the brother that's in the Army, aren't you?"

TJ nodded, "Yes ma'am, stationed in Germany. I just got to Miami about an hour ago."

Natalia frowned slightly, "I don't understand. How could you know about the Burrus brothers and not know what happened to Calleigh?"

TJ rubbed at the side of his face, "I've been on maneuvers for the better part of two weeks. When I got home, there was a message from my little brother - 'Milo's back.' That was it, nothing else. My wife hadn't understood what it meant or that it was important or she probably would have tried to pass it along. Then I couldn't get hold of Cal and I just knew..." He glanced away, exhaling in frustration, "That idiot brother of mine. If I thought it would do any good, I'd go back home to Darnell and try beating some sense into him."

"When did he call?" Natalia leaned forward a little. This thing with the Burrus brothers had come out of the blue. There was no question that Calleigh hadn't any idea they were out of prison.

TJ appeared to be even more annoyed, "Over a week and a half ago. Can you believe it? And he calls me about it, not Calleigh, not the Darnell Sheriff's Dept., not even old Jack Tolley. He calls me - in Germany."

Natalia looked surprised, "Are you sure he just couldn't get hold of Calleigh? We work some odd hours at times."

TJ glanced away again. "Roger Earl hasn't talked to her in years. It's stupid but I can't change his mind." He paused and then added quietly, half to himself, "What's left of it." He looked at the CSI, "You know how all this started, don't you? The Ashbys?" When Natalia nodded, he leaned back in the chair, "Mr. Rad and Miz Maudie were better parents to us than our own. I think Cal needed that even more than me and Roger Earl. After all, we had her, too." TJ stopped for a moment, running a hand through his close-cropped hair, "I never thought what it had to be like for her until I had my own kids. She gave up her childhood for us."

"She doesn't have any regrets," Natalia said quietly. She really had no idea but couldn't help wanting to reassure. It was disconcerting to learn even this much of Calleigh's history. How much did Eric know? He and Calleigh had always been close. She'd been aware of that fact even while she and Eric had dated. It had been awkward at first, until she'd convinced herself that it was only friendship that the two shared. TJ started speaking again, jolting Natalia back to the here and now.

"Anyway, losing the Ashbys like that just turned our world upside down. Roger Earl couldn't deal and, for the first time, had nowhere to turn. I wasn't doing much better and our incredibly competent older sister wasn't handling it too well, either." TJ shifted forward so that his elbows were resting on his knees, his voice growing softer, "A damn defense lawyer got Budge and Ray Don released on bail and a month later, those SOBs put Cal in the hospital. They probably would've killed her if Deputy Allen hadn't shown up. Scared the hell out of me and Roger Earl - even more than what had happened to the Ashbys. This was our big sister, you know? The one who kept everything together for us. Even after what they'd done, Calleigh wouldn't let us talk her out of testifying. Roger Earl had been angry before but that really put him over the edge. At first, it was with everyone but then he focused on Cal. Nowadays, he blames her for every sorry turn or stupid decision he's ever made. Since he's hammered or high three-quarters of the time, he tends to blame her a lot." TJ stopped speaking and then took a deep breath, staring at Natalia, "How badly did they hurt her?" He was holding himself tightly, no doubt preparing himself for the worst.

Natalia took a deep breath of her own, "Physically, she was lucky." With that, she launched into the full story. "And that's where we are now," Natalia finally concluded, leaning back in her chair.

TJ stared at her, "She can't hear anything?" He looked away for a moment before focusing intently on Natalia again, "Nothing? And there's no apparent reason?" The CSI nodded slowly and his shoulders sagged. "Damn." They sat silently for a minute or so until TJ finally looked up, "I'm sorry, you're supposed to be working and I'm taking up your time. I'd better go." He climbed wearily to his feet.

"It's okay," Natalia assured the man as she stood up as well. She cleared her throat, "Umm, listen TJ, we've been keeping a lid on this thing with Calleigh's hearing. We're hoping it's going to resolve itself before there's any official notice."

"She'd lose her job, wouldn't she?" TJ shook his head, "That'd kill her, for sure. You can bet no one will hear anything about it from me."

"How about I run you over to the hospital?" Natalia asked. It would be best to get TJ out of here before the gossip mill got hold of his presence. Rick Stetler would happily rip her a new one for filling in a civilian on the details of an ongoing investigation if he found out about it.

"I'd appreciate that," TJ gave her a smile and Natalia couldn't help grinning back. Here was an undeniable family resemblance between brother and sister. His smile could light up a room, too.

o o o o o

"Ms. Boa Vista."

Stetler. Natalia slowed down and rolled her eyes in exasperation. They'd made it out of the building and had been halfway to her department Hummer. TJ gave her a quizzical look. "Rick Stetler, Internal Affairs and general pain in the ass. He doesn't much like Calleigh, Horatio or the rest of us, for that matter," Natalia explained as quickly as she could. Rick was approaching rapidly. She turned to meet him with a tight smile, "What can I do for you, Rick?"

"Where are you on the Steinburton case?" Stetler stopped in front of her and then looked at the man standing slightly behind, "Who're you?"

Natalia stared at him. Steinburton was none of his business. There was no reason for IAB to look at the case. The fact that Rick had even addressed TJ told her what his real reason was for stopping them. She folded her arms, rocking back on a heel. Newbie or not, Natalia wasn't going to let him push her around, "Why does IAB want to know?"

Rick tilted his head, his eyes narrowing, "It might be connected to one of our cases." He focused on the man again, "Have we met before?"

Natalia quickly smothered her surprise when TJ answered. Gone was the soft southern accent as he barked out, "Nein haben wir uns nicht getroffen."

Rick looked taken aback for a moment before he scowled and turned towards Natalia, "Who is this guy and what's he doing here?"

Natalia paused for a split second, "He's my translator." She rattled on, picking up steam, "for the Steinburton case. The grandmother's from Germany - doesn't speak a word of english. She can't come in, so we're going to her." She took a chance and smiled brightly, "Want to come along? She likes having men visit - couldn't keep her hands off Ryan when we went to see her the first time."

Rick looked nonplussed for a moment before shaking his head, "I don't have that kind of time." He pointed at TJ, "How much is that guy going to cost the county?"

Natalia smiled sweetly, "Nothing, he's a volunteer." She glanced at her watch, "If there's nothing else, we need to go. Don't want to keep Frau Blücher waiting."

"Go," Stetler waved a hand, scowling again. Dammit, there was something going on. He just couldn't seem to get a handle on it. The normal chatter in the lab had dried up within a day of Horatio landing in the hospital. After that debacle with the Owens case, there was no way in the world he'd be able to question Duquesne without a rock-solid reason so he'd stayed away from the hospital altogether. He'd rounded a corner in time to catch a glimpse of Natalia and this stranger exiting an interrogation room and decided to see what they were doing. Boa Vista was the newest member of the team and he figured she'd be the easiest to intimidate. Unfortunately, he hadn't learned anything he could use to his advantage.

"Verpiss dich," TJ smiled pleasantly and waved. The IAB sergeant grunted an acknowledgment as he turned away. Natalia waited until they were both in the Hummer and had pulled out of the parking garage before directing a grin at TJ, "That was quick thinking."

"You were pretty quick yourself," TJ chuckled. "Frau Blücher?"

"Hey, I loved 'Young Frankenstein'. It's a classic." Natalia defended herself, still smiling. "What exactly did you say to Rick?"

TJ shrugged, "Not much - that we hadn't met before... and to piss off." He grinned at the look on Natalia's face, "So that guy has it in for my sister? Why?"

"Calleigh's never mentioned Rick Stetler to you?" Natalia sounded surprised.

"Cal's not one to dwell on unpleasantness," TJ gave her a bland look. It was a vast understatement and he could tell Natalia knew it.

Natalia shook her head, chuckling, "Unpleasant is probably the kindest thing to say about Rick. You understand that being with Internal Affairs is not the way to win friends and influence people, right?" She acknowledged TJ's nod and continued, "Well, Rick has the added attraction of blaming Horatio for his position in IAB. They were both up for a lieutenant's spot and running CSI and Horatio got it. Rick never forgave him and being the vindictive type, goes out of his way to give Horatio grief. His best chance came when a prisoner claimed Horatio injured him during an arrest and filed a lawsuit. Rick already had Horatio convicted when Calleigh stepped in. She proved the man was lying and made him drop the suit. Then she let Stetler know, in no uncertain terms, that she considered him unprofessional and incompetent. That she was able to refute the prisoner's claim so easily made it obvious to Rick's superiors that he'd been less than stellar in performing his duties."

TJ couldn't help grinning, "Don't mess with my sister."

"I'll say," Natalia glanced over at him, growing serious again. "Nothing would make Rick happier than to force Calleigh to resign from MDPD and the lab."

TJ nodded soberly. They were silent for a bit before he looked over at Natalia again, "Eric Delko, does he care for my sister at all?"

She was quiet for a long moment, concentrating on the traffic, and then exhaled softly, "I believe so." She glanced at TJ, "They'd already broken up when I met Eric but were still on good terms. I think that's why our relationship never really went anywhere either. I know they both say it's just friendship but I'm pretty sure there's more to it than that."

TJ nodded again as he settled back into the seat, "I need to talk to him, then."

o o o o o

Tuesday,

3:55 Local

Ray Don washed his hands and peered at himself in the mirror. Frowning a little, he wet his hands again and ran his fingers through his hair, slicking it down. Freshly shaved, trimmed and wearing a dark gray suit and tie, he felt completely out of place. He smirked a little, straightening up. He also looked completely different. He'd been inside the hospital twice so far - once as a janitor and once as a delivery man. Pulling a couple of paper towels out, Ray Don dried his hands. Adjusting the ID badge he'd lifted from the men's locker room when he'd gone through as a janitor, he walked out of the men's room and into the busy corridor of the Ryder Trauma Center. Taking a breath to settle his nerves, Ray Don headed for the elevators. Once inside, he hit the button for the third floor.

When the doors opened, he stepped out, turning right. He'd located Duquesne's room earlier but hadn't been able to do anything about it. While she didn't have a police guard, the floor nurses seemed to watch everyone like a hawk. He was hoping that this time, looking like some hospital exec, they wouldn't give him a second glance. If he could get in, he'd only need a few minutes. It wasn't exactly what he wanted. That bitch deserved to suffer for what she'd done but he couldn't think of a way to get her out of the hospital without attracting a million cops. He strolled down the hallway, feeling more confident when the hospital personnel ignored him altogether. This was going to work. He slipped a hand in his pocket, fingering the toothbrush he'd turned into a shiv to get past the metal detectors. He'd put a pillow over Duquesne's face to muffle the sound and shove the toothbrush into her gut. If there was time, he'd watch her bleed to death. If not, he'd smother her with the pillow. It probably wasn't as good a plan as Milo or Budge could have come up with, but it would do.

He slowed down a little as he got closer to her room, glancing up and down the corridor to see who was around. He watched a nurse disappear into a room further down and smiled. It was time. He hurried the last few steps and put his hand on the door. The sound of voices had him jerking his hand back. Pivoting on his heel, he walked quickly to the corner, stopping when he was out of sight. Ray Don muttered a soft string of expletives and leaned against the wall. Now what?

o o o o o

Calleigh glared indiscriminately at the three people in her room, "If I'm going to be discharged soon anyway, what difference does it make if I leave today?" She made a vague gesture towards an ear, "There's nothing you can do about this and I can take the antibiotics at home just as easily as here." She sighed inwardly as Dr. Castellini shared a frown with Lindsay and began writing on the pad Dale handed her. This was a ridiculous way to hold a conversation. She was going to have to learn to lip-read or do sign language or something and soon. Maybe Louise could point her in the right direction. Calleigh accepted the pad Dr. Castellini offered her and frowned slightly as she read.

She looked up at the doctor, "I know I need to take it easy. It's not like I can jump headlong back into work. All I'll be doing is laying around the house." Even as she said it, Calleigh felt a pang. What was she going to do? She tried not to roll her eyes when Dale took the pad next. There was no way she wanted to stay in the hospital for his sake. That would be crazy. Calleigh shot a look at her father and felt a slight sense of puzzlement. He seemed to be paying attention to what was going on but she could tell his mind was somewhere else. Her focus was pulled back to the two doctors when Dale handed the pad to her. She bit off an exasperated sigh as she read and then gave it back, "I've dealt with the Burrus brothers already. I don't know why you keep bringing them up. Their big plan for revenge failed. There's nothing else to say about it."

Her irritation grew as he scribbled one word and held it up, "I am not in 'denial'. I have gaps in my memory. For godsakes, I was delirious at the end. You want to hear about the weird things I do remember? The turtle that told me to stay to the left? Or the bushes that got up and walked away?" She froze for a split second as the memory of Death suddenly appeared. It was hard not to relive the waves of despair and desperation she'd felt as It's silent black-clad minions had closed in on her. With an effort, she forced herself back to the present. She was still here, still alive - none of them had touched her.

Calleigh raised her eyes to find Castellini and Lindsay watching her with concern and flushed with embarrassment. Her heart was still hammering in her chest as she struggled to regulate her breathing. Dammit, it hadn't been real! She tensed as Dale slowly proffered the writing pad again. Scowling, she shook her head and leveled a glare at him, choosing to ignore his question, "It was nothing." She shifted her gaze to include both doctors, "Look, I'm tired. Can we continue this later? I'd like to rest." Her irritation spiked a little as they both quickly acquiesced. Obviously, they thought they'd won their point. Calleigh had to grudgingly concede - she wouldn't be walking out of here tonight. Now she was facing another evening of no privacy, tasteless food, awkward but well-meaning visits from colleagues and disturbing dreams.

It didn't help her mood that Dale had given her a significant look before he walked out. She'd inadvertently handed him another point to focus on. Finally, it was just her father standing there. He'd shook himself out of whatever reverie he'd been in when Castellini and Lindsay had walked out, acknowledging their goodbyes. Now he was staring at her with a certain amount of trepidation and Calleigh was suddenly worried about what he was going to say. Had the stress of the last week finally driven him to a bar? Was he going to tell her he'd once again fallen off the wagon and ask her to forgive him? She cleared her throat a trifle nervously, "Daddy? What's going on? You haven't..."

Duke looked surprised and then shook his head while holding up his hands in a placating gesture, "What? No - no, I'm fine, sweetheart." He moved over to the chair next to the bed and sat down, grabbing the pad off the nightstand. Quickly, he wrote out his message as Calleigh watched and then handed it to her.

She read his note and then looked up at him. No wonder he'd appeared anxious. "You want to tell the rest of the family about this? Are you sure? I'll be out soon, one way or another. Knowing will just upset things - you know how they can get." Her mother would have well-bred hysterics and disappear into a bottle of wine - or two - or three. Once she was sufficiently numb, the phone calls would start. Pie would probably just have another beer. It was Teej that truly worried her. He would be upset and having to talk to his father would make it that much worse. It was the one thing she and Teej had finally agreed to disagree on. He couldn't understand how she could let their father back into her life after the hell he'd put the family through. He'd dismissed her assertions that Kenwall was turning his life around, darkly contending that it was just a phase. Leopards didn't change their spots.

Duke nodded slowly. He didn't expect anything other than recriminations from his ex for somehow not preventing this. Pie probably wouldn't react at all. Even in an inebriated state, Kenwall had picked on his youngest son's animosity towards Calleigh years ago. He'd never been quite clear on the why. They'd been close as kids. Pie would never talk to him unless they'd both been pretty well plastered and neither was making any sense. It was TJ that Kenwall was pinning his hopes on. Despite the miles separating them, Calleigh and TJ had remained close. If there was one person who could slide past the walls his daughter surrounded herself with, it would be her younger brother.

It wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to having. That was assuming TJ didn't flat-out hang up on him as soon as he recognized his father's voice. Duke rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about it. Not only did he have to tell his very hostile son that something had happened to his beloved sister but would have to ask him to come to Florida as well. That part might actually be easier than explaining about Calleigh's loss of hearing. He knew TJ would move mountains for Calleigh, his reluctance would come from having to deal with the person who was doing the asking.

Calleigh couldn't help the onslaught of misgivings as she watched Kenwall. Teej had studiously avoided talking to their father for a number of years. Before that, their conversations usually devolved quickly into arguments. It was almost instinctual the way they knew how to push each other's buttons. She normally wound up in the middle trying to placate both sides. That obviously wasn't going to happen this time. Calleigh glanced at the wall clock before looking back at Duke, "Germany is seven hours ahead of us. It's after eleven o'clock, you probably ought to wait until it's morning over there to call." She breathed a quiet sigh of relief when Kenwall nodded quickly. Maybe she could do a preemptive strike and figure out some way to talk to Teej first. He would be more receptive to a late-night call from her. Maybe one of the nurses could help? First, however, she had to get her father to leave without hurting his feelings.

Before she could say anything, Kenwall was handing her the pad again. Her face blanched a little as she read. Horatio wanted to see her again? She lifted her eyes to stare at her father, feeling the first flutterings of panic, "Daddy, I don't... "

Kenwall held up a hand, cutting her off and gestured for the pad. Calleigh waited impatiently for him to write his next message. Her stomach was churning just thinking about it. No doubt Horatio was going to end this limbo they were in once and for all. The bond they had shared had all but disappeared over this past year. As thin and tenuous as it had become, she'd still been pathetically clinging to it. Now that was about to end. ... Hell, what was she thinking? It was already over. She wouldn't be returning to the lab or her job. The only thing left to do was pronounce time of death and make it official. Horatio wanted to see her. He was too much of a gentleman to not tell her in person... Her thoughts were interrupted by Duke's hand on her arm. Startled, she looked up to see him regarding her with sympathy. Numbly, she took the pad he offered and tried to get her eyes to focus. The buzzing was back, reminding her of the time she'd accidentally been dosed with cocaine. Her concentration had been shot then, too.

Kenwall watched his daughter struggle with her fear and it felt like a knife in his heart. Calleigh was never one to show weakness of any sort. That she was having trouble containing it was more than a little disturbing. Putting a hand on her arm to get her attention, he tried to show his support with a look. Handing the pad over, he waited for her to read it, hoping what he'd written would help put her mind at ease. After a few moments, he started to frown as Calleigh blinked a couple of times and rubbed at her eyes. Now what? He reached forward and gently tapped her arm and was surprised when she turned tear-filled eyes towards him. Kenwall moved without thinking, reaching out and pulling her into a hug. She was trembling and he started to rub soothing circles on her back, letting his cheek rest on top of her head. It was obvious she'd managed to work herself into a state where she hadn't been able to read his last message. If he could get her to calm down a bit - his thought was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Casting an irritated eye over his shoulder, Duke was about to order whoever was coming in to get out when he froze in shock. Natalia Boa Vista was standing in the doorway - along with his eldest son.

Natalia shifted uncomfortably, aware she was right in the middle of an increasingly awkward family moment. TJ's mood had changed instantly at the sight of his father. Duke Duquesne was staring at his son from over his shoulder with a shocked expression. He still had Calleigh in his arms who had apparently not yet registered the change in her father's demeanor. Natalia began to edge quietly backwards. Bad enough to be caught in the tension between the two men, she didn't want Calleigh to see her, either. They had been friends just long enough for Natalia to know that Calleigh wouldn't appreciate being seen while so upset. Her movement broke the tableau between father and son.

Innate southern courtesy had both men softening their expressions as they looked at her. TJ spoke first, ducking his head just a little, "I'm sorry, Ms. Natalia. That was rude of me -," he glanced at his father, "us."

She shook her head, still edging back, "No, no, it's okay. I really should get back to the lab anyway. Umm, tell Calleigh I'll drop in tomorrow to see her. It was nice meeting you, TJ. Mr. Duquesne, good to see you again." With that, Natalia turned and fled.

As soon as she was gone, TJ turned back towards Duke, trying to moderate the harshness in his voice, "What's going on?" Just seeing the old man after all these years was enough to set him on edge.

"How much do you know?" Kenwall countered the question with one of his own. He felt Calleigh shift and resumed rubbing her back. She was slowly starting to relax.

"Most of it - I stopped by Calleigh's work. Ms. Natalia told me what happened." His expression turned grim, "Why didn't you call me?"

"I was going to," Duke scowled slightly at the note of defensiveness he'd used. He had nothing to feel guilty about - not with this, anyway. He couldn't help adding petulantly, "Would you have listened to me if I had?"

TJ bit back the sharp retort as he tried to get his temper under control. He hadn't come all this way to argue with his miserable excuse of a father. This was about Calleigh. He shook his head and gestured towards his sister, "May I see her?"

Duke took a breath, curbing his irritation. This was what he wanted, wasn't it? He would have preferred a little more time to prepare but at least TJ was here. Gently, he pulled back. At Calleigh's questioning look, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and then twisted so she could see past him. The expression on her face when she recognized her brother sent a sharp little pain through him. Oh, he knew that she loved him - she'd proved that time and again - but he also knew she would never regard him with that much unadulterated happiness. He'd put her through too much over the years. Disengaging himself from her grasp, Kenwall got up and made his way to the door. "I'll be back in a bit," he mumbled, aware Calleigh couldn't hear him and TJ wasn't listening. Stepping out into the hallway, he stood for a moment. Damn, but he could use a drink right about now. Turning, he walked slowly down the hallway.

Ray Don watched Kenwall Duquesne walk away and smiled. Now he knew how to get that bitch out of the hospital.


	16. Chapter 16

Lemon Green, Jen313, ladyd10, felixlee14, elisin, keonquil, cbw - thank you so much for your support. I really do appreciate it and it's nice to hear that there are readers out there who want more than a Cliff Notes' treatment of a story. Lemon Green and Jen313, I went to your profiles and was pleasantly surprised to find that you write as well (I already know how talented ladyd10 is). I confess I browsed thru a couple right then - when I should have been writing - and you two seriously rock (now I have go back and post a couple of reviews). Once again - thanks everyone for the kind words.

Okay - on with the story.

Chapter 16

Tuesday,

4:20 p.m.

"I can't believe you're here," Calleigh stared at her brother, barely registering their father's exit, "How? When?"

TJ shook his head as he dropped onto the bed and enveloped her in a tight hug. They clung to each other for a bit and TJ was suddenly hard-pressed to decide who was comforting whom. Finally, he pulled back and regarded her carefully, unable to keep a slight smile off his face. There were still bandages on her arm and wrists but it didn't look too bad. He'd been so worried about her on the trip over. He'd kept flashing back to images of her bruised and bloodied face from all those years ago when Budge and Ray Don had damn near killed her. TJ found his hand drifting up towards the faint scar she still had over her left eye.

Calleigh pulled her head away and gave him a soft smile. She knew what he was thinking about, "It's okay, Teej. It's over and I'm fine. I'll probably be going home tomorrow."

He frowned, shaking his head and pointed towards an ear, saying slowly, "Not okay."

She sobered at that, her gaze slipping to the side, "No, I guess not but there doesn't seem to be anything anyone can do about it."

TJ spotted the pad on the nightstand and picked it up, flipping past Duke's message and writing his own. He handed it over to Calleigh and waited expectantly.

Calleigh looked from TJ's note to him and back again. With a sigh, she leaned back against the pillows, "Teej, a lot of what happened is pretty fuzzy."

He tipped his head to the side as he considered that and gestured for the pad back. Quickly, he scribbled out another message and held it up for her to read.

Calleigh blinked in surprise and stared at her brother, "'What did Milo look like?' Are you serious?" TJ shrugged and wrote out his reply. Calleigh couldn't help smiling a bit, "Well no, he's not eight feet tall with fangs and fire shooting out of his eyes anymore." She became more serious, "Grayer, harder-looking. I didn't recognize him until he told me who he was." Calleigh glanced away, her voice softer, "God, Teej, it all came back. That day - " She stopped when TJ wrapped his arms around her. Closing her eyes, Calleigh let her head rest on his shoulder. It was amazing the relief she felt in not having to explain anything. Her brother knew exactly what she was talking about.

TJ continued to hold on as Calleigh finally relaxed against him. It was rare for him to be doing the comforting when it came to his big sister and it gave him a warm feeling to finally be able to help her. He didn't really count last year when she showed up in Germany for a three week visit. When he'd finally cornered her about what had been going on in her life, there'd hadn't been much more he could do besides listen. He'd carefully kept hidden any annoyance he'd felt at not being informed at the time. He'd blamed Kenwall for that. TJ knew that Calleigh's first instincts would always be to protect him and he wasn't going to add to the trauma she was recovering from by losing his temper.

Closing his eyes briefly, he concentrated on the feel of his sister in his arms. Always petite, she felt a bit lighter, a little more fragile and that worried him. Calleigh had always reminded him of a Jack Russell terrier, a small bundle of energy, tenacity and strength that appeared as large as a Great Dane. God help him, going back to Darnell to confront Roger Earl was beginning to sound more and more attractive. His ridiculous grudge had nearly cost them their sister.

After a few minutes, he loosened his grip as Calleigh pulled away and gave him another smile, "Thanks, I needed that." He flashed her a cocky grin and picked up the pad again. Calleigh couldn't help chuckling as she read, 'Wait 'til you get my bill.' She tilted her head, a merry gleam in her eye, "I don't think you'll get that far on a quarter."

TJ laughed at the reminder of his early childhood penchant for 'hard cash'. He would steadfastly refuse the 'fake' paper stuff, preferring money that could jingle in his pocket. They grinned at each other for a bit and then TJ wrote out his next message, "Talked to Natalia, you shot Budge?"

Calleigh's smile vanished as she tensed, "So I've heard." She glanced away and then sighed when she felt his hand patting her leg, "It's all jumbled up. I remember having a pistol but it wasn't mine and I don't know where it came from." She looked back at TJ, "I don't remember shooting anybody. Believe me, I've tried. There's this... I don't know... wall or something in my head. I can't get past it." She leaned back again, rubbing at her forehead, "Maybe I am nuts." She started at the more forceful thump on her leg and stared at TJ. He was scowling and shaking his head, his message clear: 'stop'.

Calleigh gave him an exasperated look, "Fine, I'm not nuts but what would you call it? Off? Touched? Somehow, I've managed to short-circuit my hearing. That's not exactly sane." She frowned at his next message, "Scared?' Well, yeah. I'm deaf, I can't do my job and I don't know what's going to happen. Hell, I'm not just scared, I'm terrified." Her heart lurched when he wrote out 'Eric?' and she let irritation roll over her, "That's over. It's been over. We're friends - that's it."

Her ire grew when TJ shook his head and wrote 'Not what I heard.', "Well, you heard wrong. Good lord, Teej, he's dating again. I know I can be pretty dense about relationships but that made it pretty obvious I was out of the picture." Calleigh's bad mood evaporated when he wrote, 'Want me to beat him up?'

"Don't you dare!" She gave him a mock glare and TJ grinned unrepentantly. They both remembered when she was fourteen and Lamar Morris had publicly dumped her for Betty Grace Tomilson. She'd kept her head up and held in the tears until she made it home to the safety of her room. TJ, after hearing about it from a friend, had been incensed. Three years younger, six inches shorter and forty pounds lighter, he'd found Lamar later and beaten the holy hell out of him. No one embarrassed his sister like that.

"Seriously, Teej, I made that bed. I have to lie in it." Calleigh's gaze dropped to her hands as she absently picked at the bandages on her wrists. They were beginning to itch, a sign that things were healing. "I know I hurt him," she paused and took a deep breath, "and now I nearly got Horatio killed. I never should have called." It was a hell of a mess she'd created.

She looked up when TJ's hand tightened on her leg and was surprised at the fierceness in his expression. Calleigh waited while he wrote the next missive and then held it up. Her face flushed slightly as she read and she glanced away again. "I know I was in trouble. I just - I shouldn't have called Eric. SWAT probably would have found me. Milo wasn't going to kill me right away." Her voice faltered ever so slightly on the last sentence. She was startled when TJ reached forward and pulled her into another tight hug. Calleigh could feel him shaking and it was her turn to rub his back in comforting circles, "It's okay, sweetie, it didn't happen. I'm right here, still in one piece - more or less."

She let go when he finally pulled back, waiting somewhat warily for his next topic. It was normal for them to bounce around from subject to subject as one thought would trigger something apparently unrelated. Mr. Rad used to laugh at them, saying that following their conversations was like following a pinball machine during an earthquake. Her breath caught a little when he held up the pad again. 'Was Milo dead?' Calleigh could only shake her head with a helpless shrug. No one had said anything to her about it since she'd arrived and she hadn't asked, "I don't know. Why?" TJ's expressionless stare sent a chill through her. He was beyond furious and she leaned forward, "Oh no, don't you even think about going there. If he's alive, he's going back to prison. That's good enough. Are we clear?" She glared at him until he finally dropped his gaze. Even then, she continued to watch him carefully, "Teej, promise me you'll stay away from Milo or Ray Don when they catch him. You've got a great life and a wonderful family. The Burruses aren't worth losing all that. Promise me."

She waited tensely until he reluctantly looked back up and nodded. Breathing a sigh of relief, Calleigh leaned back against the pillows again, giving TJ a couple of minutes to calm himself. His reaction had surprised her although it probably shouldn't have. It wasn't like his career choice put him in daily contact with violence and depravity the way hers did - had done. Calleigh exhaled softly, wondering once again what in the world she was going to do. Deaf, crazy crime scene investigators were probably not in high demand in the job market. Hell, she couldn't even work at a McDonald's.

TJ turning towards the door caught her attention and she followed his gaze to see Alexx standing uncertainly in the doorway. Calleigh smiled at her friend and waved a hand, "Alexx, come in. I want you to meet my brother, TJ."

Alexx smiled back and came in extending a hand to the young man as he stood up, "It's a pleasure. It's Captain Duquesne, right? Your sister speaks highly of you."

TJ grinned at the ME, "TJ, ma'am, and the pleasure's mine. Cal speaks pretty highly of you, too."

Alexx arched an elegant eyebrow, "Well then, TJ, you can drop the 'ma'am' and call me Alexx." She smiled at Calleigh while addressing TJ, "How's she doing?"

He smiled at his sister as well, "Not good. Scared out of her wits - makes her mad." He sat down on the bed again and picked up the pad, writing quickly. Showing it to Calleigh, he repeated what he'd written for Alexx's benefit, "I'll let you two catch up while I grab something to eat and call my wife." When Calleigh nodded, he stood and turned to go. Once he was facing away from his sister, he looked at Alexx, "Where can I find Lt. Caine?"

Alexx gave him an appraising look before murmuring, "Room 342."

o o o o o

Tuesday,

4:40 p.m.

Horatio opened his eyes to see Duke Duquesne standing just inside the door of his room. Horatio had talked to his doctor this morning and they'd lifted the restrictions on his visitors. His sister-in-law had yet to come back since their last 'discussion'. He'd tried to keep it cordial, tried to keep her point of view in mind but when she'd gone off on a rant about Calleigh and Mr. Duquesne, he'd lost both patience and temper. Clearing his throat, he made a 'come in' gesture while giving the older man a quizzical look. Duke looked - unsettled was the word Horatio finally decided on. Uneasily, he wondered if more problems had come up with Calleigh.

"Lieutenant," Duke greeted Horatio quietly. "How're you feeling?"

"Better," Horatio raised the bed a little more. "Are you all right?"

Kenwall gave a dry humph while rubbing the back of his neck, "I've had better days." He dropped his hands onto the side rail, "Calleigh's being... difficult. She's got this idea stuck in her head that it's her fault you're in here and, well, I think she's afraid if she sees you, you're gonna agree. If she doesn't see you, then she can still pretend there's a chance you won't hate her."

"But that's - " Horatio cut off what he was about to say. There was no way anyone would ever hear him say 'crazy' in any sort of context with Calleigh Duquesne. He gave Kenwall an intense look, "You know I could never hate Calleigh. You have to convince her."

"I'm trying," Duke snapped and then immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, I'm just - I'm a bit on edge. She's trying to get herself discharged early."

"What?" Horatio straightened in surprise and then winced, sinking back into the pillows. "You can't let her do that." They both knew she'd run like hell.

Kenwall shrugged his shoulders, glancing away, "She's a grown woman and a stubborn one at that. You know how she is. I'll keep arguing with her but don't go expecting miracles."

Horatio eyed Duke carefully, "What's going on?"

Kenwall's gaze slid back to the Lieutenant and then skittered away again, "Nothing."

"Mr. Duquesne," Horatio spoke a little more forcefully. What the hell had the man acting this way? While Horatio, aware of Duke's past, had never had a tremendous amount of confidence in him, he also acknowledged that the elder Duquesne had been admirable in his support of Calleigh. Now he seemed on the edge of bolting.

"It's nothing, Lieutenant," Duke answered with an irritated finality. He straightened up, "I need to go."

"No, wait," Horatio hated the pleading note that had entered his voice but he was desperate for any sort of information about Calleigh, however oblique. It had taken the Burrus brothers to strip away the blinders he'd been wearing. If Calleigh left CSI, it would be his fault, "Has she been able to remember anything else?"

Duke shook his head as he turned towards the door, "No, nothing as far as I can tell." He stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder, "Her brother showed up, expect a visit soon." Before Horatio could respond, he was gone.

Horatio sat watching the door while he digested that last little bit of information. Calleigh's brother? He was aware she had two younger brothers but not much more than that. Calleigh was tight-lipped about her family and personal life and since Marisol's death, he'd given her little reason to open up. Damn, which one was here? Whoever it was must still have issues with Duke, which would explain his sudden change in demeanor. Horatio shifted uncomfortably. As Dale had so carefully pointed out the other day, he'd been an ass lately. If Calleigh had been his sister, he would have been seriously tempted to flatten the guy, boss or not. Was that what Duke meant? Cautiously, he brought a hand up and rubbed his forehead, feeling the slight twinge across his chest. He was definitely on the mend but it would be a while before he was mobile. If Calleigh got herself discharged and took off, it would be weeks before he could do anything about it.

Sighing in frustration, Horatio stared up at the now familiar ceiling. Would Eric be able to stop her? For the life of him, he couldn't decide if this near loss had reawakened Eric's feelings for Calleigh. While the young Cuban normally wore his heart on his sleeve, he'd been a hell of lot more circumspect around the blonde.

Thirty minutes later, he was beginning to doze again when there was a quiet tap on his door. He opened his eyes as a stocky, middle-aged man looked into the room. "Lieutenant Caine?"

Horatio nodded slowly, "May I help you?"

The man walked further into the room, "I hope so. My name's TJ Duquesne, I'm Calleigh's brother." He stopped by the bed, taking in the assorted medical paraphernalia. Finally, he looked at Horatio, "You were lucky. Milo's usually a damn good shot."

Horatio lifted an eyebrow, "I don't feel that lucky."

TJ gave him an unreadable look, "And you think it's Calleigh's fault you're in here?"

"God, no," Horatio's voice was firm with a hint of annoyance, "Why would I blame her for what those psychopaths did?" He stared the younger man in the eye and waited.

TJ met his glare without flinching, "She thinks you will." He folded his arms, "Cal's already blaming herself for getting you involved."

"Well, she shouldn't," Horatio took a careful breath, "There was no way I would or could have left Calleigh on her own with those bastards. They'd have killed her."

"Eventually," TJ's face was a mixture of tightly controlled rage and revulsion. He took a moment to compose himself and then leveled another glare at Horatio. He wasn't sure how he felt about this man. Calleigh had always spoken highly of him but hadn't said much lately. Ms. Boa Vista had brought up the distance that had developed between the Lieutenant and his team. She hadn't meant it as a criticism of Caine, so much as a compliment to his sister for stepping up and taking on so many more responsibilities. What TJ saw was a dereliction of duty on the part of Lieutenant Caine. Considering the state his sister had been in when she came to visit, TJ was more than a little unhappy that she'd had to deal with the extra stress. He folded his arms, "Are you going to go back to ignoring her once you're out?"

Horatio couldn't help looking somewhat abashed. As much as he'd like to protest, Calleigh's brother had legitimate cause to ask that question, "That was a mistake. It's not going to happen again."

"And I should believe you because... ?" TJ wasn't about to let up.

Horatio exhaled carefully, keeping his irritation in check, "Because I care about her. She's a good friend and valuable member of the team." He realized now that his actions could have easily driven Calleigh out of Miami. Good god, what if she'd been working at another lab when the Burrus brothers had gone after her? Her life had been balanced on a knife-edge. It could have so easily gone the other way. He could have been attending her funeral rather than laying here in the hospital. Faced with that, he much preferred the hospital. "I need to see her," Horatio managed to make it sound half like a request and half like an order.

"No." TJ's response was automatic and then he sighed softly, "Look, you have no idea how fragile she is right now. Hell, I've never seen her like this. One wrong word, one wrong look and she'll shatter. I won't help you destroy what's left of my sister."

Horatio's fists clenched in frustration, "I'm not going to 'destroy' her, dammit. I want to help and I know I can. I know what she can't or won't remember about what happened in the 'Glades. I know what she's scared of and I know what she needs to hear. You have to let me see her."

TJ stared at Horatio for a long moment and then abruptly nodded, "Alright. You'll get your chance." He pointed a finger at the Lieutenant, "Just remember, if you hurt her again, I will come back once you're out of here and put you right back in. Is that clear?"

Horatio let a small smile quirk his lips, "Crystal."

TJ walked out of Caine's room and stood for a minute with his hands on his hips. The Lieutenant was a persuasive man. Hopefully, that trait would do some good with his sister. He hadn't been exaggerating when he told Caine that his sister was fragile. TJ ran a hand over his head. Of course, now all he had to do was convince his incredibly stubborn sister she needed to do something he knew damn well she didn't want to do. Turning, he headed back down the corridor. Turning the corner to the hallway of Calleigh's room, he inhaled sharply at the sight of man standing just outside her door. Hurrying forward, he quickly closed the distance, "Hey!"

Eric turned, frowning slightly at the stranger who was glaring at him, "What?"

TJ nodded in the direction of Calleigh's door, "Who are you and what're you doing here?"

"Who are you?" Eric countered, straightening up as his frown deepened. He been standing there, waffling about going in to see Calleigh and it didn't sit well that he'd gotten caught.

"TJ Duquesne," the other man snapped, looking more irritated. "Step away from door before I call security."

"TJ Duquesne?" Eric repeated, somewhat dumbfounded. "You're related to Calleigh?"

"Her brother. Who the hell are you?" TJ repeated although he was beginning to get an idea of who this might be.

"Eric Delko. I work with your sister," Eric extended a hand out of habit. He wasn't really sure about TJ's reaction although he knew Calleigh well enough to know she wouldn't make him out to be the lone villain in their failed relationship.

TJ hesitated a brief second before shaking Delko's hand. The tall Cuban wasn't exactly how TJ had pictured him but he supposed women would find the man attractive. It had been obvious when he talked to Cal back in Germany that she had deep feelings for her colleague. Calleigh had been candid about the problems in the relationship, taking full responsibility for walking away. She might have been right but as her brother, TJ couldn't help wanting to shift the blame to unknown half of the equation. All he could think was that if his wife had been the victim of some horrendous crime before they'd married, he'd have stayed with her no matter how hard she tried to run. He realized now that he'd made Delko responsible despite what Calleigh had said. Unfortunately, Natalia had effectively turned his simplified black and white version into a dizzying array of grays. For the sake of his sister, he'd have to keep an open mind. "I've been hearing things. What exactly are your intentions towards my sister?"

Eric stiffened. Who the hell did this guy think he was? That was a subject he hadn't unraveled for himself. There was no way he would discuss it with a virtual stranger, no matter how he might be related to Calleigh. "That's none of your business."

"I think it is," TJ countered.

"We're good friends," Eric snapped, now irritated with both himself and TJ. His standard evasion had popped out before he could stop it. He hadn't had to justify himself like this since high school.

"Yeah, right. Sure it's not you looking to score with the one that got away?" TJ folded his arms and glared at Eric. He was aware of the man's reputation with women. Calleigh, of all people, had mentioned it in a letter years ago while describing her colleagues: 'Eric Delko, nice guy, good CSI and a real lady's man with a different girl every other week or so.'

"What? Hell, no - I'd never... Look, Calleigh had made it very clear at the time that she didn't want me. I respected that." Eric tried to keep a rein on his temper.

TJ snorted, "Ran like hell, you mean."

"What was I supposed to do? Follow her around and beg?" Eric bristled. "I moved on. Don't expect me to apologize."

"Wouldn't think of it," TJ's jaws were clenched and he turned to pace up and down the hall a little. This wasn't going well. Finally, he turned back to Delko, deciding to risk his sister's wrath. She'd have his head and a few other crucial parts if she found out what he was about to say, "God knows why, but Cal's still in love with you. If you don't feel the same, then do us all a favor, leave her the hell alone and let her get over it. She doesn't need to deal with any more crap. She's been jerked around enough in her life."

"But I do feel the same." Suddenly faced point-blank with the choice of having Calleigh or losing her forever, Eric knew what he had to do.

"What?" TJ's expression was rock-hard.

"I do love her," Eric's gaze slid uncomfortably to the side. It didn't sit well that he had to discuss how he felt about Calleigh with anyone other than her.

TJ's face flushed slightly, "You have a hell of a way of showing it. Cal doesn't have a clue." He scrubbed a hand through his hair, "She's my sister and I love her but I know how hard it is for her to let anyone get close anymore. She's been hurt too many times. If you don't have the guts to pursue this, then drop it now."

"I have no intention of dropping it," Eric glared at TJ. "Who's hurt her? Berkeley?" He hated to think he might be on that list as well but knew it was a distinct possibility.

"He's in the top five," TJ eyed the other man. As much as he wanted to throw Delko on that list, he knew he couldn't. Calleigh had been adamant that Eric was blameless in the ending of their relationship. "Right up there with our loving parents and idiot little brother." He arched an eyebrow at the look on Eric's face, "What? You think it was easy growing up with a pair of drunks? She took the brunt of their crap. When they were sober, she was golden; when they drank, she was stupid, incompetent and ungrateful. Try that on for size when you're ten and trying to take care of two little brothers. I still don't know how she didn't wind up in a bottle with the rest of them."


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry this is a bit late, the last few days have been more hectic than I'd like. Thank you everyone who took the time and effort to review - it's much appreciated.

Chapter 17

Wednesday,

8:30 am

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Calleigh grumbled for what seemed like the thousandth time. She heaved a small sigh as TJ gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. Dammit, he knew exactly how to get her to do things for him. It was a skill he'd perfected years ago. Calleigh glanced over, "You talked to him?" He nodded and she lapsed into silence again. It shouldn't have surprised her that he went to see Horatio. Despite the fact that she'd looked after her brothers' welfare while they were growing up - and that he was three years younger - TJ had always regarded himself as her guardian. He had returned to her room last night just as Alexx had left. He'd dropped the bombshell about Horatio on her shortly afterward and then told her in no uncertain terms that she needed to quit hiding and deal with the situation. TJ had (somewhat haughtily, she thought) dismissed her objections as fear-inspired conjectures. That had gotten her back up, leading to a full-blown argument. In the end, she'd found herself uncharacteristically backed into a corner. The only way to prove TJ wrong was to do what he wanted. It was irritating as hell.

Irritation at her brother what was she using right now to keep the fear at bay. Why she was so scared was getting harder to explain to herself. As TJ had annoyingly pointed out last night - according to her - her relationship with Horatio couldn't get much worse, so what was the big deal? It had sounded too pathetically desperate to say she was clinging to some forlorn hope that things would return to what they'd used to be - before Tim, and Owens, and the Mala Noche. Calleigh gave an exasperated huff, steadfastly ignoring the look she got from TJ. Maybe this was for the best. Get it over with, make a clean break and get on with her life. No more swallowing the hurt when Horatio ignored her presence at work. She would let go and move on. Unconsciously, she straightened her spine. She could do this. Hell, she would do this.

TJ maintained his neutral expression but inside he was cheering at the stiffening of Calleigh's posture. His sister had decided to fight. About what, he wasn't exactly sure but anything was better than her uncharacteristically meek, and no doubt, guilt-induced surrender. All too soon, they found themselves outside Horatio's door. TJ felt her take a deep breath and knew she was bracing herself for the worst. Sliding his arm out from under her hand, he draped it across her shoulders and gave her a reassuring hug. He met her glance with his best smile and a nod, "It's okay, sis."

Calleigh gave a short nod back and then reached forward to knock on the door. A few moments later, TJ was opening it up and walking her through. Resolutely, she concentrated on moving forward as the knot in her stomach grew larger with each step. She didn't dare look at Horatio until she made it to the side of his bed. Taking one more breath in an effort to calm herself, Calleigh finally looked up and then felt her jaw drop. Horatio was smiling at her and not one of his trademark not-quite-looking-at-you enigmatic smiles, but a full-blown, face-lighting grin. She'd almost forgotten that he could smile like that. Thoroughly confused, her eyes dropped to her hands resting on the side rail as she tried to compose herself. She got a second shock when his hand appeared in her field of vision and landed on top of hers.

Horatio watched as Calleigh jumped slightly when he grasped her hand. His smile slipped a bit at the telling reminder of how much he'd isolated himself from her. Clearing his throat, he glanced over at TJ who had positioned himself on the opposite side of the bed, pad and pen at the ready. "Tell her how happy I am to see her."

Calleigh nodded as she read the message and gave Horatio a tentative smile, "You're looking better." He was. His color had improved and he looked rested and relaxed. It was a far cry from how he'd been a few scant days ago. The knot in her gut unraveled a little.

"Seeing you helps," Horatio waited for TJ while he studied the woman before him. She looked uncharacteristically worn and he could see the lines of stress around her eyes. Patting the mattress beside him, he then pointed while saying slowly, "Please sit down." As he halfway expected, she shook her head. Horatio looked over at TJ, "Can you get her to sit down? She looks tired." He returned his gaze to Calleigh and patted the mattress again, "Please?"

Faced with Horatio's hopeful look and TJ's annoying and exaggerated eye-rolling, Calleigh gingerly perched on the edge of the bed. Looking down at her hands, she straightened her back, "Horatio, I'm so sorry about all this. I never wanted you to get hurt."

"Hey," Horatio paused in frustration. Calleigh was still looking down. She was just out of reach and he couldn't lean forward easily. He shot a look at TJ, "Tell her this isn't her fault. If anything, I should have seen Milo. Calleigh had her back to him."

TJ dutifully wrote it out while regarding the Lieutenant thoughtfully. This was the first he'd heard of what had happened before the SWAT teams had shown up. He waved a hand down low and succeeded in getting Calleigh's attention. She read the message, her eyebrows arching in surprise, and found herself looking back up at Horatio, "He was behind me? I don't remember."

Horatio tilted his head slightly, "I'm not surprised. You were burning up with fever and had already passed out on me twice." He waited while TJ scribbled out his words. He could tell the young man was as intent on his words as Calleigh.

Calleigh's brow furrowed as her gaze dropped to her hands again. This was frustrating and scary at the same time. How could she not remember? "I know I should know this but it's all a blank." She glanced up at Horatio, her voice soft, "Would you tell me what happened out there?"

"Gladly," Horatio nodded in relief.

o o o o o

Wednesday,

2: 45 pm

Calleigh slowly opened her eyes and carefully stretched. Dr. Castellini had said just after her fever broke that she'd be sleeping more as her body recovered but she was getting frustrated with the constant napping. Honestly, it felt like every time she turned around, her eyes were closing. Alexx had been unsympathetic, sliding into 'Mom' mode and declaring this was payback for all the times she'd foregone sleep over an investigation. Calleigh let her gaze wander around the room and noted in satisfaction that she was alone. Hopefully, that meant TJ had listened to her and gone to her place to rest. It was still silent, though, and her frustration level climbed another notch. What the hell was going on in her head? If this was somehow tied to Horatio's shooting as Alexx had suggested then it should have turned itself back on. She still had no clear memory of what had happened but now she had Horatio's version of events. Together with what Eric and Ryan had told her, there were only a few gaps left unaccounted for. (She was still cringing over shooting the park ranger. Eric insisted that she had nothing to worry about. After all, she'd been feverish and the man had ignored his team leader by running towards her. He hadn't been seriously hurt, only sustaining a nasty bruise where the vest had caught the round. Calleigh was certain Stetler was biding his time before he raked her over the coals about it.) At least the talk with Horatio had gone much better than she'd ever dared to dream. Not only was he not angry with her but she was almost ready to swear that he'd returned to the caring, involved leader she'd come to admire and respect.

With a sigh, Calleigh rubbed her forehead and then pulled her hand away to contemplate the still-healing wound on her forearm. Eric had also told her about the park rangers finding the Burruses' base camp and discovering the body of the man she'd killed. ID hadn't taken long, he'd had a criminal record. It had been Enos Parker. She remembered the name but the face that had gone with it had been that of ten-year old boy. It wasn't easy to reconcile the two even though the young Parker she'd known back then had been arrogant and mean-tempered. Apparently, there hadn't been any improvement as he grew. Cautiously, Calleigh flexed her hand, feeling the ache. It could have been a hell of lot worse. Although Horatio had tried to put the most positive spin on what had happened, the fact was that the Burrus brothers had come damn close to succeeding. If SWAT hadn't arrived when they did, she and Horatio would have died. Unbidden came the image of Milo and Miz Maudie and Calleigh squeezed her eyes shut with a shudder. Yes, it definitely could have been a hell of a lot worse.

A light touch to her shoulder nearly had her leaping out of her skin. Calleigh's eyes flew open to see a surprised and apologetic-looking Ryan standing by her bedside. Putting a hand over her wildly beating heart, she couldn't help being exasperated, "Good lord, Ryan, you scared me out of year's growth." Calleigh relented a bit at the look on his face, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just wasn't expecting anyone." She glanced at the wall clock and frowned a little, "Did your shift end early?"

Ryan shook his head as he pulled the chair closer to the bed. Picking up the pad from the nightstand, he wrote out his reply and handed it to her. Calleigh read it quickly and looked over at him with a small grin, "You were passing by on the way back from a scene? What's the case?" Having something else to concentrate on besides the Burrus brothers would be a welcome distraction.

Ryan leaned back, relaxing a bit. He still felt bad about not saying anything when he'd seen Calleigh leaving the Garcia scene early. At least she didn't seem mad at him about it. He took back the pad and wrote quickly. Calleigh's eyebrows rose as she read, "Seriously? The guy was hanging from the underside of a moving truck to check out a noise in the transmission? Who was the idiot driving the truck?" She didn't think her eyebrows could get higher at Ryan's reply, "His brother? Good grief, didn't either one of them see the flaw in that plan?"

Shrugging, Ryan scribbled out, 'Natural selection - shallow end of the gene pool.' Calleigh couldn't help feeling amazed at the conspicuous lack of common sense some people displayed. Her attention was dragged back to Ryan as he held up another message. "'How am I doing?'" Calleigh repeated the question while she considered how to answer. Finally, she settled on a non-commital, 'I'm okay.'

Ryan gave her a skeptical look and she huffed a little, "Really. Dr. Castellini is going to discharge me tomorrow. I just need to take it easy for the next week or so." She didn't mention that Lindsay had made it a condition that she continue her daily sessions with him for that week as an outpatient. Alexx knew - and TJ - and her father would when he showed up again - and that was enough people as far as she was concerned. It also meant she could check in with Horatio every day, too. Now that it was clear she hadn't lost his confidence or respect, it would be her reward for putting up with Dale's annoying, and sometimes disturbing, prying into her psyche and past. Lindsay kept beating her over the head about the Burrus brothers, insisting that she needed to talk about what had happened with the Ashbys. It had taken her years to stop thinking about them, she had no desire to reopen those old wounds.

She brought her focus back to the here and now when Ryan held up the pad again. Calleigh nodded, "Yes, I'll still be on medical leave. Alexx and Dr. Castellini already sent in the paperwork to HR." Her heart warmed a little at Ryan's obvious relief. As far as she knew, Stetler was still in the dark about her hearing loss. It was truly amazing how the lab had pulled together to shield her from IAB. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out how she merited that sort of loyalty. It had to be Alexx's doing. No doubt the ME had cajoled who she could and cudgeled the rest. Ryan glanced at his watch and then gave Calleigh an apologetic look. She smiled back at him, "It's okay, go get back to work. I appreciate you coming by."

Ryan grinned at her, reaching over to give her hand a squeeze along with a quick peck on the cheek before heading out. Calleigh watched the door shut and then leaned back into the pillows, gazing out into space. Somehow, she needed to find that switch her head had used to turn off her hearing and reverse it. Alexx's theory was that it was tied to the shock of seeing Horatio being shot but, no matter how hard she tried, Calleigh couldn't remember witnessing it. She frowned, turning that idea around in her head. In a way, it did make sense. If there was one event she never wanted to see, it would be watching Horatio taking a bullet to the chest. Had she blocked it out so thoroughly that it affected her hearing? After a moment, Calleigh gave an unladylike snort. Well, duh, here she sat in a world of silence - so yeah, she sure as hell had. The question was, how to combat it?

By remembering - it was the most obvious, and seemingly impossible, solution. Calleigh closed her eyes as she lightly massaged her temples where the first vestiges of a headache were forming. She knew that this was what Dale had to be aiming for as well; even though he seemed to be going at it ass backwards by insisting she talk about that day with the Ashbys. Opening her eyes again, Calleigh stared up at the ceiling. She had a theory and a possible solution. Now she had to figure out a way to implement it. Closing her eyes again, Calleigh took a deep breath. Go back to the beginning of that day, back to the Garcia crime scene and work forward.

Ninety minutes later, Calleigh slammed her fists down on the mattress in exasperation. Dammit, it was the same each time. The last clear memory was of staggering out of that miserable little shed with most of her attention focused on staying upright. After that, it was just brief snatches of stumbling through underbrush and swamp until that nightmare sequence with Death. Even though she now knew it was SWAT that she'd been seeing, it was hard not to relive the terror and hopelessness she'd felt out there.

Calleigh glanced around the room again and shook her head. Throwing off the light covers, she swung her legs off the bed and stood up. She needed out. Out of this room, at the very least; out of this building, if she could manage it. Tomorrow wasn't soon enough. Moving to the closet, Calleigh pulled out the overnight bag Alexx had packed while blessing her friend for her thoughtfulness. A short time later, she was dressed comfortably in slacks and a loose, long-sleeved cotton shirt. Checking herself in the bathroom mirror, Calleigh tugged the shirt cuffs down a bit. Her wrists were still lightly bandaged and would remain that way for a while. Although they were healing nicely, some of the deeper abrasions continued to ooze. Calleigh could see a definite improvement in appearance but Natalia had summed up their look rather succinctly as 'Ewwww.' Taking one last look in the mirror, Calleigh stepped out of the bathroom and headed for the door.

o o o o o

Wednesday,

4:40 p.m.

Horatio opened his eyes at the brief tap on his door and then smiled when Eric stuck his head in. Waving a hand, he motioned his brother-in-law into the room. His smile faded a little at the expression on Eric's face. He raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong?"

"Probably nothing, H," Delko was quick to reassure, "Umm, I was looking for Calleigh. Did she stop by to see you this afternoon?"

His unease growing, Horatio shook his head, "No, I haven't seen her since this morning. She's not in her room?"

Eric rubbed the back of his neck, "No." He held up a hand at the sudden scowl on his Lieutenant's face, "Look, I'm sure she's fine. Maybe she decided to take a walk around the hospital. You know how restless Cal can get." He glanced away for a moment, unwilling to admit he'd been consumed with jealousy thinking Calleigh would rather talk to H than him, "I just thought maybe she'd said something to you."

Horatio leaned back into the pillows. It was actually more surprising that Calleigh hadn't done something like this sooner. She hated inactivity almost as much as she hated hospitals. That didn't mean she'd do anything stupid - Calleigh wasn't like that - but it didn't stop him from worrying. The last Burrus brother was still out there somewhere. She wouldn't be safe until he was caught. He considered what he knew about his ballistics expert and then finally looked at Eric, "If I were you, I'd check the roof. You know she'll want privacy as well as breathing space."

"You're right," Eric brightened a bit. He had been checking throughout the hospital but hadn't gone up there yet. He hadn't any luck contacting Duke but had gotten hold of TJ who was afraid that she'd checked herself out and was trying to head home. He was waiting there, just in case, and no doubt going a little crazy with worry. Personally, Eric didn't think she'd go that far no matter how frustrated she might be. He was more worried that she'd opted to walk around the grounds. He hadn't forgotten about Ray Don Burrus. Ordinarily, he knew Cal was more than capable of taking care of herself but this hearing loss put her at a severe disadvantage. He edged towards the doorway, not wanting to appear rude but anxious to find Calleigh.

Horatio saved him by pointing at the door, "Go, let me know when you find her and that she's okay."

"You got it, H," Eric didn't waste any time moving down the corridor to the elevators. Ten minutes and two flights of stairs later, he stepped out on the roof and looked around. When he didn't see her immediately, Eric clamped down on the sharp little spike of worry and fear. This was a big roof, there was an excellent chance that Calleigh had tucked herself away in some quiet nook. Methodically, he began his search.

Ten minutes later, the unease was beginning to grow again when he heard the soft southern drawl he knew so well, "You need to look up more often."

Turning around, Eric looked up at the roof of a small outbuilding. He couldn't help smiling as he shook his head. She was perched near the corner, her knees drawn up and her arms folded on top. He glanced around and then spread his hands in a questioning manner. Calleigh tilted her head to the left, "This side, there's a service ladder." A short time later, Eric settled down next to her. She gave him a look out of the corner of her eye and then sighed a little, "Guess I should have left a note or something - sorry."

Eric shrugged at that and then lightly bumped her shoulder with his own while raising an eyebrow. Calleigh looked at him for a moment before returning her gaze to the panorama before them. Eric waited patiently, realizing that she was ordering her thoughts. After a minute or so, she began speaking softly, "I needed to get out of that room for a bit. It felt like the walls were closing in - you know?" She glanced over to see him nodding and continued, "I've been trying to remember what happened out there with Horatio. I know I've managed to tie it to my hearing. I figured if I could remember it myself that maybe things would start working again." She shook her head, "So far, there's nothing. I know what you and Horatio have said happened but it might as well have happened to the Man in the Moon for all I can tell."

She returned to looking out at the city below them. Eric followed suit while trying to think of something - anything that might help. He carefully edged a little closer. If nothing else, he could offer physical comfort. It was a fine line he was treading with Calleigh and he felt a sense of relief when she leaned lightly against him. He was startled at her next question, "Is Milo alive?"

Eric turned his head to find her watching. He cleared his throat and nodded slowly, "Yeah." He held out his hand and wobbled it from side to side, "Sort of." Without something to write on, he wasn't sure how to explain the man's condition. Burrus was still in the ICU, hanging on by a thread. If he recovered, it would be as a quadriplegic - no doubt purgatory for someone who was used to bullying people physically. Eric wasn't normally a vengeful man but he hoped that bastard survived and lived a long time.

Fortunately, Calleigh seemed satisfied with his answer and the two lapsed into a comfortable silence. After a few minutes, Eric felt Calleigh shift a little and then she was speaking again. Her voice was so quiet that he had to strain to hear. "I'm scared, Eric. I don't know how to fix this and I don't want to lose everything."

It broke his heart to hear the hopelessness. That she had even admitted it spoke volumes. Eric put an arm around Calleigh's shoulders and gently pulled her towards him. She didn't resist and soon he had her comfortably nestled against his side with her head tucked under his chin. He dropped a quick kiss on top of her head while bringing his other arm up to wrap her in a loose embrace. He didn't know if their relationship would ever get off the ground again but that didn't mean he would ever stop caring for or about her. Calleigh had always been there whenever he needed her. They trusted each other completely. Eric knew there were very few who could say that with Calleigh despite her outgoing personality. TJ was one, for sure, as well as Alexx and himself. A year or so ago, he would have automatically included Horatio, but now his Lieutenant would have to earn that spot back.

Eric frowned thoughtfully. Cal wasn't the only one with whom Horatio needed to mend fences. He'd pulled away from the rest of the team as well leaving them somewhat adrift. By unspoken accord, most had turned to Calleigh for the day-to-day mundane problems and she'd taken on the burden without blinking an eye. Not surprisingly, Horatio's current absence from the lab hadn't had nearly the impact of Calleigh's, at least as far as the lab rats were concerned.

Calleigh allowed herself to relax as she felt the comforting rise and fall of his chest. Maybe, someday, they would find their way back to each other but for now, she would take what she could get. Eric was still her best friend and she loved him dearly. He was always there when she needed him. There weren't many people she could say that about. Her inner circle, never large to begin with, had taken a beating over of the years with the loss of Speed and then Janet Medrano. Eric, Alexx and TJ were all that were left although Natalia was knocking at the door. Ryan would take a little longer. He was a good guy and she liked him immensely but some of his decisions hadn't been the best. She didn't consider herself to be his conscience and had no desire to control what he did on his personal time but, on more than one occasion, his actions had adversely affected the lab and that was a problem.

Then there was Horatio. He was in a category all his own. Two years ago, she'd have included him on her list of people to trust implicitly without a second thought but now... Well, she still trusted him with her professional and physical well-being but on an emotional level, she'd have to qualify that trust for a while. His nearly complete withdrawal at work over these last few months had really hurt. As far as she'd known, she was still his second in command (a fact that was borne out when all and sundry started knocking on her door with their problems) but you'd have never been able to tell by their interaction or rather, total lack thereof. Part of her had been angry but mostly, she'd been resigned. Considering all the upheaval in the lab, there'd been nothing to do but soldier on. It wouldn't have done to have had the two leads sniping at each other.

Calleigh continued to quietly gaze out upon the Miami skyline until Eric finally shifted. She raised her head and gave him a questioning look. He reached back, pulled out his cell phone and held it up. She nodded immediately, realizing what he was going to do. Sitting up, Calleigh pulled out of Eric's embrace while shaking her head at his apologetic look, "It's okay. I should have told someone where I was going."

Ryder Trauma Center

Wednesday,

5:20 pm

Horatio put the phone back on its cradle with only a small wince. Fortunately, he could stretch a bit further on his left side so reaching the phone on the bedside table wasn't ridiculously hard. Thank god Eric had found Calleigh safe and sound. As they had both suspected, she'd needed a break from the hospital. Alexx had mentioned that Calleigh would be discharged tomorrow on an outpatient basis and he figured the blonde was getting antsy. The ME and Dr. Castellini had already set up a transportation plan to get Cal safely to and from the hospital. He wished he was getting out as well. Horatio glanced at the wall clock as he leaned back into the pillows. He figured he had about fifteen minutes before Eric and Calleigh stopped by on the way back to her room. Closing his eyes, Horatio relaxed. He really was feeling much better and he wanted to be sure to project that to Calleigh. Knowing how she harbored guilt about his injuries, he would use every opportunity to assuage it.

Five minutes later, the phone rang. Horatio started and then stared at it for a moment, a sharp pang of worry lancing through his gut. Why would Eric be calling him again? What was wrong? As it rang once more, he shook his head, chastising himself for jumping to conclusions and reached over to pick it up, "Hello?"

"Calleigh, darling, that you?"

Horatio pulled the phone away and stared at it for a split second. What the hell? It sounded like Kenwall Duquesne. He put the handset back to his ear, "Mr. Duquesne? This is Lt. Caine. You've got the wrong room."

"I'm fine, sweetheart. How 'bout you? You feeling better?"

Damn, was the man drunk? He knew Calleigh couldn't talk to him on the phone. Horatio scowled, "Duke, listen to me. This isn't Calleigh. It's Horatio Caine."

"That's good, that's good. Listen, darling, I know you're busy but I need you to do me a little favor."

What was going on? For all that they seemed to be having two completely different conversations, Duke sounded stone sober. Horatio stiffened as he thought it over. What if... ? "Duke, are you in trouble?"

Eric and Calleigh chose that moment to walk in the door. Delko caught Horatio's last question and immediately straightened as he stared at his Lieutenant. Calleigh picked up the tension and looked from one man to the other, "What's wrong?" Horatio held up a hand as he listened intently.

"Can't fool you, can I? Look, I just need you to come by and give me a ride."

"Okay, Duke. I think I get it. Is there someone there with you?" Horatio directed a look at Eric who quickly pulled out his cellphone to call the lab. Meanwhile, Calleigh's expression was one of frustrated worry.

"Yes, of course. I know what I've said before but this is different."

Horatio took a careful breath, not looking at Calleigh, "Is it Ray Don Burrus?"

"One and the same. Now, Calleigh, don't go bringing her into this. That was a long time ago. Are you going to come? I really need a ride."

Horatio shifted his gaze to Eric. The younger man nodded, pulling the cellphone a little away from his ear, "AV's on it, trying to track the call and Ryan's calling Tripp."

Horatio returned his attention to the phone, "I understand. We're putting things in motion. Can you stay on the line?"

"No, I don't think so. Yes, I know you're working. As soon as you can? That's great, thank you, darling. Let me give you the address..."

Listening as Duke rattled off an address, Horatio repeated it for Eric's benefit, who in turn, repeated it into his cellphone. It was in a seedier area of Miami where tourists rarely strayed. The connection ended and Horatio slowly hung up the phone. As soon as he did, Calleigh fixed him with an angry glare, "What the hell is going on?"


	18. Chapter 18

Thanks again, to all who reviewed. Things are picking up.

Hey Robyn - Bears and Packers, dare I say it? Go Pack! :-D

Chapter 18

Ryder Trauma Center

Wednesday,

5:25 pm

Horatio and Eric exchanged looks. It was a toss-up on which would be worse - telling Calleigh that Ray Don had her father or trying to hide it. Exhaling, Horatio decided on the truth. He was still finding his way back to her trust, lying wasn't the way to go.

Eric was thinking along the same lines, "We need to tell her, H." He didn't like it but it would be worse if they tried to conceal it. He'd just have to make sure she didn't try to do anything stupid.

Horatio nodded, reaching for the pad and pen next to the phone. Calleigh moved closer, her anger rapidly being replaced by trepidation. Eric moved up behind her. As always, his presence offered a solid support. This time, however, the comfort was offset by a tightening of nerves. What was going on that had Horatio looking so solemn and Eric feeling the need to stand so close beside her? With an effort, Calleigh kept her hand from shaking as she reached for the pad that Horatio extended towards her. The blood drained from her face as she read, leaving her feeling lightheaded. Eric moved in, putting his hands on her shoulders. She stared at Horatio, "My dad?"

Horatio nodded again, holding his hand out for the pad while keeping his attention on Calleigh. This was where it was going to get worse. He knew she'd walk into a lion's den to keep the people she loved safe and there was no way he could let that happen. In this, he knew Eric was solidly on his side. Sure enough, her temper flared when she read his next message, "What do you mean - 'I need to stay out of it.'! Ray Don has my father and you know he wants me. How do you suggest I 'stay out of it'?"

Eric and Horatio shared another look before Eric shrugged reluctantly, "She's got a point, H. Burrus won't settle for anyone less." Dammit, what could they do? If she didn't show up, Burrus would undoubtedly kill Mr. Duquesne and Calleigh would never forgive either one of them for stopping her.

Horatio glared at Eric, "I will not let her put herself in that kind of danger. You know as well as I do that Burrus would probably kill them both. SWAT will have to handle it."

"Where is he?" Calleigh demanded, looking between the two men. When neither answered, she shook off Eric's hands and stalked out of the room. Once out in the hallway, she folded her arms tightly, almost welcoming the pain from the healing wound on her arm. Dear god, this nightmare kept getting worse and worse. Ray Don was going to kill her father and there wasn't a damn thing she could about it if Horatio and Eric didn't cooperate. There was no way to find him on her own.

A hand landing on her shoulder had her spinning into a defensive crouch as she knocked it away. She straightened up almost immediately. TJ was staring at her in consternation. "Ray Don's got Dad," Calleigh blurted out, "He wants me."

"What?" For a moment TJ was wide-eyed in shock and then he scowled as he shook his head at his sister, "Calleigh, no, you can't."

Calleigh scowled right back, "I have to. He'll kill Dad if I don't."

TJ shook his head again, his frustration and fear mounting. He knew what his sister was capable of doing. Movement caught his attention and he looked over to see Eric Delko standing in the doorway of Caine's room. After a moment, Calleigh followed his gaze. When she saw Eric, her scowl deepened, "Horatio's being ridiculous. You have to tell me where Ray Don's holding Dad."

Eric looked undecided for a moment before reluctantly shaking his head. Calleigh exhaled, then turned on her heel and stalked off. TJ and Eric looked at each other and hurried after her. Eric put his longer legs to good use and caught up with Calleigh first, putting a hand on her arm to stop her. She spun towards him, her voice dangerously soft, "Let go."

Somewhat shocked, Eric released his grip and held both hands up. Never before had she used such a tone with him. TJ, having had more experience with all his sister's moods, wasn't as worried about her temper as he was about what she was going to do. He moved up to block her path. "Calleigh, don't." Whether she could hear or not, TJ knew she understood exactly what he was saying.

"What is wrong with you? How can you hate him that much?" Calleigh folded her arms again, grimacing slightly.

"I don't - Calleigh, come on, I don't hate him," TJ raised his hands in exasperation, hoping she'd get the gist of his words. "Don't go."

Calleigh spun towards Delko, "Is the SWAT commander coming here to talk to Horatio?" When Eric nodded slowly, she took a determined step towards him, "I want to be there."

o o o o o

Wednesday,

7:05 pm

Calleigh stopped outside the old, dilapidated office building and glanced around. It was dusk and she was back in the dark shadows of the alleyway amid old dumpsters and stacks of abandoned crates, away from any long-range lines of fire. If Ray Don was hoping to shoot her before she went inside the structure, he'd have to stand fairly close to do it. Almost of its own volition, her hand crept up to check the body armor she had on under her sweatshirt. It wasn't the heavy duty version that the SWAT boys wore. If Ray Don hit her with that deer rifle he favored, the vest would fail. Calleigh was banking on the fact that Ray Don was inside the building where a rifle would be awkward as hell. If he was using a handgun, the armor would protect her. She refused to consider the possibility that he'd try for a head shot. Despite what the movies would have you think, it was a tough shot to make with a pistol - especially when the adrenalin was running high. His best bet would be to the body. She would just have to hope he was a decent enough shot to hit her there. It would be ironic as hell if he killed her by sheer accident.

Scanning the building, Calleigh eyed the fire escape and then dismissed it. If she wasn't coming in the front door, that would be the next obvious route. Ray Don wasn't the brightest bulb on the tree, but he would be smart enough to rig a nasty surprise. Continuing her survey, she spotted a first story window where the boards had rotted partially away. From the alleyway, it was a couple of feet above her head but there was a dumpster close enough that she thought it would help get her in. Grabbing an edge, she hoisted herself up, wincing a little at the effort. Moving to the corner, she carefully pulled at the first board on the window. It came away easily and Calleigh could only hope it had been soundless as well. She had no way to tell. The second and third were a little harder to loosen but she eventually pried them away, too. The gap was now wide enough for her to slide through. Calleigh took a steadying breath and sent a quick prayer heavenward that Ray Don wasn't waiting on the other side. She knew she'd run into him at some point but she needed to locate her father first. Glancing around one more time, Calleigh grabbed hold of the window frame and stepped through.

"She's in."

TJ stiffened as Delko's soft voice came over the speakers in the SWAT CP. He hated this. Hated that there wasn't some other way; hated that he had to wait out here instead of being with his sister. He even hated Eric Delko for being the one to have Calleigh's back. That had been his self-appointed job ever since he'd been old enough to figure out that his big sister wasn't as invincible as she seemed. He wasn't at all sure about this plan. Ray Don wanted Calleigh and he was using Duke to get her. SWAT hadn't wanted her anywhere near but she had persisted. TJ snorted to himself, 'persisted' was mild. Not being able to hear didn't mean she couldn't talk and god help them all, she had. It had be a veritable deluge of words that had eventually left Caine, Delko and the SWAT commander speechless. If Calleigh hadn't been a cop, she would have made a hell of a lawyer. She'd countered every argument against her participation, starting with being a trained police officer and ending with the fact that she was the only one who wouldn't cause her father to be immediately killed if she was spotted on her way in.

She'd pointed out, with maddening composure, that Ray Don was expecting SWAT to show up, whether she came or not, and had already planned for it. Then, in what seemed like convoluted logic, she argued that while Burrus didn't intend to play by the rules and didn't expect her to either, there was an unspoken, incongruous code of honor that both followed. So, going in armed and attempting to reach her father without being caught was an acceptable strategy. Having SWAT officers try the same thing was not. Also acceptable was having SWAT officers follow her from a reasonable distance - not acceptable was having them accompany her. TJ had reluctantly agreed with his sister's assessment. Ultimately, this was strictly between her and Ray Don. There was a southern culture and mentality at work here. TJ, Calleigh and Ray Don had all grown up absorbing and understanding the nuances. Northerners just didn't have the background to grasp the subtleties. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so, considering his sister's talent for bludgeoning people with soft words and diamond-hard logic - SWAT had finally agreed.

TJ flinched a little when Natalia's hand rested briefly on his shoulder and then shot her a grateful look. She didn't need to be here, none of the CSIs did, yet all of them had vied for the chance to be on the scene with SWAT. Natalia had drawn the long straw. It had been Lt. Caine's insistence that had allowed TJ to be here even though he wasn't law enforcement. Caine had pointed out the obvious fact that he was the closest thing they had to an expert (besides Calleigh) on Ray Don Burrus and what he might do. He'd also emphasized TJ's military status, arguing that a line officer with combat experience wasn't likely to panic easily. The SWAT CO, Lt. McMillen, had taken Caine at his word. TJ had spent an intense half hour answering question after question about the Burrus brothers in general and Ray Don in particular.

o o o o o

"We have visual."

The quiet voice of the communication officer drew both TJ and Natalia's attention. Calleigh was wearing a small wireless video transmitter. The range wasn't great but it was something. Both TJ and Natalia did their best to see without interfering with the SWAT commander and his officers. There wasn't much. It was dark and grainy but TJ could see vague outlines of a doorway. He could hear his sister's quiet breathing as well and felt a vague sense of reassurance, coupled with worry. Right now, they could hear more than she could. That had been a sticking point with SWAT. They didn't want to let Calleigh go in if they had no way to communicate with her. It was Eric who suggested using a cell phone set on vibrate. It wouldn't be specific but she'd have some warning that danger was imminent. Eric and Sergeant Price were following, too, although they were keeping their distance for now. The object of this mission wasn't just to free Mr. Duquesne but to capture Ray Don as well. They couldn't afford to frighten him off.

McMillen turned towards another officer, "Anything on the thermal?"

The officer shook his head in frustration, "Not much, that place must be crammed full of junk. It's hard to pick up the signatures when I know where they are."

o o o o o

Calleigh sank down into a crouch as soon as she gained entrance to the building. Her nerves were pinging as she strained her eyes, willing them to adjust to the darkness as quickly as possible. Not for last time, she wished her hearing would make a reappearance. At least there was some comfort in knowing that Eric wasn't far behind. After a minute or so, she crept forward, drawing her pistol as she threaded her way through abandoned machinery, piles of trash and scattered broken glass. Reaching the doorway, she cautiously peered up and down the hallway. Frowning, Calleigh gnawed at her lower lip. There was nothing that she could see that gave any clue of which way to go. Resolutely, she turned to the left. If it came down to it, she'd search the whole damn building.

Ten minutes later, she stopped at the entryway of what appeared to be a large, two story high, storage area. As with the rest of the building, this too was filled with junk. Calleigh wrinkled her nose. It stank of rotted garbage, stale urine and other equally unpleasant things. There was also the slight trace of decomp and for a moment her heart dropped before her head caught up and pointed out it couldn't be her father - not this soon. Clenching her jaw, she moved into the room, circling to the left and staying as close to the wall as possible. Windows high up at the far end provided faint illumination. She had a flashlight but hadn't used it yet, not wanting to compromise her night vision nor alert Ray Don to her location.

Halfway around the room, she looked down a narrow path between stacks of pallets and froze. At the end, in an open area illuminated by an outside street lamp, was her father. Bound to a chair, he was blindfolded, gagged and frighteningly limp. Heart hammering, she picked her way towards him while trying to look everywhere at once. Edging past a jumbled pile of old machinery, Calleigh caught movement out of the corner of her eye and spun around. A stack of pallets was tumbling towards her. Instinctively stepping back, she tripped over a chunk of metal and fell backwards. Shoving out a hand to break her fall while bringing up her other arm to protect her head, she gasped as a lancing pain pierced her hand and shot up her arm. A moment later, the pallets hit and consciousness fled.

o o o o o

"Price, Delko, move in! Duquesne's in trouble." Lt. McMillen snapped, staring intently at the monitor. There'd been a confusing image of dark objects and now there was nothing. "Bravo team, move in and back them up. First floor, northwest corner - it's a storage area. Everyone else, hold your positions and look sharp. If that was Burrus, he could be moving." Straightening up, the Lieutenant keyed off his mike and muttered a few choice phrases. At the moment, they had no idea if Ray Don had been responsible for what had happened or if Duquesne had inadvertently caused it. He looked down at his communication officer, "Can we get the transmission back?"

After a few seconds, the officer shook his head, "I'm not getting anything. It must have been damaged." Behind them, TJ and Natalia stood frozen, listening with wide eyes. Natalia had an iron grip on TJ's arm and he wasn't sure if it was for her own comfort or to keep him from bolting out of the CP truck to rescue his sister. They both jumped at the sound of a faint rifle shot followed immediately by two more. McMillen was instantly on his mike again, "Move, move, move - we have shots fired inside the building."

Eric and Price flattened themselves against the wall as a slug whizzed through the open doorway. They didn't dare return fire. The next shot hit the door frame and the third apparently hit what Burrus had been aiming for all along as the entryway exploded in flame. Price swore as he keyed his mike, "He had the storage doorway booby-trapped with a firebomb! We can't get in." The fire was rapidly gaining purchase and the heat drove both men back.

"There's got to be another exit," Eric half-shouted as the fire grew. "He wouldn't let himself get trapped in there."

In the CP, McMillen rapidly scanned the blueprints and spoke into his mike, "I don't see anything other than the windows and they're up too high. What the hell is he doing?" Beside him, an officer was notifying the fire department.

"Murder-suicide? This whole place is a tinderbox," Price coughed as he tried to see past the flames. He grabbed Eric as the CSI moved past him, "What are you doing?"

"We have to get in there!" Eric snapped, struggling in the other man's grip.

"Don't be stupid! You won't get halfway past that fire. We'll have to find another way." Price glanced back down the hallway and then pointed at a doorway, "There. That room has a common wall with the storage area. Maybe we can break through." Both men ran to the room, Eric in the lead. Once inside, he moved to the far corner, pushing junk out of the way as he went. Grabbing a length of old rebar, Eric drove it into the wall. It punched a neat hole in the drywall. Encouraged, he and Price attacked the wall with a vengeance.


	19. Chapter 19

Thanks for the reviews - this story is almost done. (Hey R, you're right - these chapters are new and how about that Packer defense? … Actually, I'd like to see the Bears get back in the game although Urlacher's been doing great. I was hoping for a good close game.)

Chapter 19

South Miami

7:35 Local

Calleigh was jolted back to half-consciousness as pain flared throughout her body. A large hand was wrapped in her sweatshirt collar and was dragging her out from under the pallets with little regard towards avoiding any more damage. For a brief moment, she was clear of debris and then a vicious yank had her airborne. She hit the floor hard, banging her head as the force rolled her onto her back. Once again, she blacked out.

Panting, Ray Don squinted down at the unconscious woman. Damn bitch. He drew back a foot and kicked her in the side, feeling some satisfaction at the groan it induced. Even more satisfying was having her here. Everyone always called him the dumb one, the mama's boy. Milo and Budge had bullied and picked on him his whole life and he'd just proved every last one of them wrong. Not only was he the last man standing but he'd managed to pull off what Milo hadn't after sixteen damn years of planning.

Ray Don looked back at the entryway where the fire was spreading fast. No one would get in that way and he had a few minutes before he'd have to make his own escape. He glanced down at the blonde and frowned slightly. What the hell did she have on? Squatting down, he yanked her sweatshirt further up and stared at the vest. After a moment's thought, he grinned, reaching out and shaking her shoulder. It took a half a minute or so, before she groaned again and appeared to be waking up. Ray Don stood and waited, checking the fire's progress as he did so. He would have to move soon.

Groaning, Calleigh's eyes fluttered open. She felt like one huge bruise and her left hand was throbbing painfully in time with her heartbeat. She stared up into the darkness, trying to bring things into focus. A shadowy, man-shape appeared in her line of vision, jerking her back into full wakefulness. Tensing, she shoved herself up on her elbows, trying not to wince as she glared at Ray Don. Her eyes widened when he pulled her pistol out of his belt. That was all she had time for as he calmly aimed it at her mid-section and pulled the trigger. Her vision grayed out as the force of the slug impacting the vest slammed her into the floor, driving the air out of her lungs. Panic enveloped her as she struggled to breathe and her body curled in around the pain. She managed one labored inhalation before Ray Don slid the pistol under her shoulder and flipped her onto her back. She was still trying to get air when he shoved the muzzle against her shoulder and fired again, numbing her entire arm and sending fresh waves of pain throughout. Then he put the barrel in nearly the same spot as the first shot and pulled the trigger once more. Calleigh felt something crack as oblivion mercifully engulfed her.

Ray Don smiled as he tucked the pistol back in his belt. That had certainly taken the fight out of her in a hurry. All he needed at this point was to keep her from putting up any resistance and slowing him down. That vest had definite possibilities for prolonging his fun. Using Duquesne for target practice without killing her was a novel and enticing idea. Payback was already beginning and he owed her a hell of a lot more. Reaching down, he grabbed a wrist and with a practiced yank, heaved her up and across his shoulder. Picking up his rifle with the other hand, he headed towards the bolt hole he'd prepared earlier. It led to the small basement where a connecting door would put him in the next building. From there, he'd reach the alley in back where a conveniently removed manhole cover would give him quick access to the sewer system. While exploring that maze, he'd come across a small control room off one of the rarely-traveled side passages. Once he reached that, he'd inflict the rest of his revenge. By the time the cops found her body, if they ever did, he'd be long gone.

Reaching the hole he'd cut into the floor, Ray Don looked at the makeshift ladder he'd cobbled together. It probably wouldn't hold them both. Leaning down, he rolled Duquesne off his shoulder. Grabbing her wrists, he lowered her into the hole as far as he could before letting go. She landed in a boneless heap at the bottom of the ladder. As tempting as it would have been to have dropped her from a greater height, he didn't want to take the chance of accidently killing her. She wasn't going to get off that easy. Clambering down, he crouched alongside, roughly jerking Calleigh onto to her back to make sure she was still alive. He was rewarded with a low moan and smiled. Once again, he stood and yanked her up, forcing out a muffled cry as she landed across his shoulder. It was music to his ears. "You ain't seen nothing yet, bitch," he muttered quietly. Pushing the ladder over, he hurried on his way.

o o o o o

The sound of pistol shots sent Eric into even more frantic activity. They'd ripped open the drywall in record time only to find a solid mass of machinery blocking their way. By the time Price had let loose a truly impressive string of profanity, Eric was already hammering away at another section of wall. This time they had better luck. Machinery only blocked a portion of the opening. Delko didn't hesitate, flinging himself at the hole and squirming through. He landed on top of a rusting hulk of metal and quickly slid to the floor. Dropping into a crouch, he had his pistol out at nearly the same time as he scanned the room. Price landed beside him a few moments later. The older man shot Eric a look before moving to the front, a silent warning not to let emotion get the better of him. The fire was reaching rapidly upwards towards the high ceiling, growing in strength and size. They needed to find Burrus and Calleigh quickly. There was no doubt in Eric's mind that that bastard had her. He spun at a sound behind him and then relaxed somewhat as two more SWAT officers joined them. Price lost no time deploying them all. Quickly, they fanned out and moved through the room.

One of the other SWAT officers, Stanton, Eric thought, came across Duke Duquesne first. The rest of them converged quickly. The older man was unconscious. It was obvious he'd taken a beating. Eric's relief that Mr. Duquesne was still alive was more than offset by the worry of Calleigh's absence. He caught Price's attention, "Burrus must have made an opening like we did so he could get out." Looking over his shoulder at the fire, he realized that they would need to find that escape route sooner rather than later. The wall they'd hammered through to gain entrance was engulfed in flames. Price realized it as well, quietly informing McMillen of their predicament as he waved the group forward. Stanton had Mr. Duquesne in a fireman's carry while his partner, Sgt. Haman, covered them both. Eric and Price ranged out on either side.

Moving as fast as caution allowed, they reached the far wall without seeing anyone. "He's gone," Eric breathed in frustration. Fear for Calleigh was like an icy hand twisting his gut. That bastard had her and there was no telling how badly she was already hurt. He couldn't get those sounds of the pistol shots out of his mind. Burrus hadn't been shooting at them or at Mr. Duquesne. That left Calleigh, only they hadn't run across any blood. The man had deliberately fired into the vest? He had to have known she was wearing it after the first shot didn't penetrate. Eric caught up with Price, "How good is that vest Calleigh was wearing?"

The SWAT officer glanced back at him before continuing his sweep of the area, "Pretty good for its rating. It can handle most handgun calibers. Why?"

"What happens if you keep firing into it in the same place?" His voice gruff with suppressed emotion, Eric kept his eyes moving as well, looking for some sign of Burrus or Calleigh.

Price's voice became grimmer as he realized why Eric was asking, "It'll fail eventually, but before that happens, the force of the impacts are going to cause damage. She's going to be hurting."

"Incapacitated? Eric forced the word out through clenched teeth. That bastard.

Price nodded uncomfortably, "I've seen broken ribs, internal bleeding. It depends on where the shots are hitting." He stopped talking suddenly and pointed, "There!"

o o o o o

"We've found his bolt-hole. He hacked an opening into the basement." Price's voice came crackling over the speakers.

McMillen was already looking at the blueprints. He swore quietly before keying his mike, "All units, listen up. There's a series of access doors connecting the next five buildings on the south side. He could be two buildings over by now. We need to expand the perimeter. Charlie and Delta teams, I need you to take those next buildings in line. If he's carrying Duquesne, that's got to be slowing him up a bit."

TJ stood up, staring hard at the map of the surrounding area. He took a step forward, "Lieutenant? I don't think he's going that far."

McMillen glanced backward, clearly irritated by both the situation and the interruption, "It's his best avenue of escape. I don't think he'll be stupid enough to hang around now that he has her. Even if he's already killed her, he's got to know we'll keep looking for him."

TJ's fists clenched in frustration. He had no proof and it didn't seem to make sense but his gut instinct was that Ray Don had something else in mind and the access doors were a false trail. He glanced over at Natalia. She was pale beneath her tanned skin as she listened intently to the SWAT officers. Coming to a decision, he quietly turned and left the CP truck. He hadn't gone more than a few steps before Natalia was beside him. "Where are you going?"

TJ kept moving, "To find that SOB. According to map, there's a sewer tunnel running along the back of the second building. The access doors are too obvious. I'll bet money he's planning on losing himself in the sewer system."

Natalia hurried to keep up, "You need to tell someone."

"I tried," TJ growled, "No one's listening."

"TJ, he's armed and we're not," Natalia pointed out.

He glanced back, "You don't have to come. Go back and try to convince McMillen that he's making a mistake."

"Uh-uh," Natalia shook her head, her expression determined, "Calleigh's my friend." They moved in silence for a few more moments, heading down the alley between the buildings. Natalia suddenly pulled out her cellphone, "I'm calling Eric. He'll listen." TJ nodded, slowing his pace a little. They were nearing the head of the alley. For all they knew, Ray Don could already be there.

Reaching the corner, TJ crouched down and cautiously peered around. For a long moment, he didn't see anything and then tensed as a large, oddly shaped shadow detached itself from the building. It turned slightly and the clear silhouette of a rifle could be seen. "Eric! He's here!" TJ caught Natalia's intense whisper as he slid around the corner. Doubled over, he ran soundlessly up the alley, his eyes never leaving his target. Twenty-five feet, twenty, fifteen, ten - at five feet, some instinct told Ray Don to turn just as TJ launched himself. They all went down in a tangle of arms and legs. Natalia reached the melee soon after, hovering on the outskirts for just a moment before diving in. Seconds later, she was scrambling out again, dragging Calleigh's limp body with her. She stopped when she hit the alley wall, torn between getting Calleigh as far away as possible and not wanting to leave TJ.

Although he was smaller and lighter, TJ was giving Ray Don all he could handle - his rage and combat training combining to even the odds somewhat. Natalia watched anxiously, looking up and down the alley as well, willing Eric and SWAT to make an appearance. Pulling off her nylon jacket and folding it, she slid it under Calleigh's head. The blonde's breathing was labored and her left hand was a bloody mess. Natalia scrubbed her own hands on her pants in frustration. She had absolutely nothing with her to stem the bleeding.

Natalia glanced up at the ongoing fight and tensed. Something had changed. Only moments before, they'd both been intent on pounding each other. Now it seemed to be a wrestling match. A glint of metal flashed and Natalia paled. Ray Don had a pistol in his hand and TJ had his wrist. Size and strength were the advantage now and Ray Don was slowly pushing the gun barrel towards TJ. The younger man was forced to let go of Ray Don's other wrist in order to get both hands wrapped around the gun hand. Ray Don took immediate advantage, using his free hand to punch TJ repeatedly in the side. One blow finally struck home, catching TJ hard in the short ribs. The smaller man suddenly faltered, gasping as his knees buckled.

Grinning, Ray Don yanked the pistol free and brought it down on TJ's head, dropping him to the ground in a heap. Moving back out of reach, Ray Don pointed it at the other man's head. Before he could squeeze the trigger, the edge of a trash can lid hit him in the face, knocking him backwards and opening a gash under his eye. Roaring in pain and anger, Ray Don pushed himself up, the pistol waving back and forth as he looked for this latest threat. Natalia froze in the act of picking up another lid when the pistol suddenly focused on her.

Ray Don stared at the brunette who glared defiantly back. Wiping at the blood trickling down his cheek, he grinned nastily and extended the pistol, "Say goodbye, bitch."

Natalia paled. There was no one to rescue her, no way to avoid what was about to happen. She couldn't help squeezing her eyes shut as she waited for Burrus to kill her. The sound of single gunshot reverberated between the buildings. Natalia flinched, her ears ringing from the closeness of the blast. A scream of pain had her eyes flying open and she saw with amazement that Ray Don was down, clutching his ankle as he moaned and whimpered. Whirling around, she stared at Calleigh. The blonde's eyes were closing again. She had one leg drawn up, an empty ankle holster now clearly visible. The small .32 she was holding was resting barrel down on the pavement, her right arm still extended towards Burrus. The sound of pounding feet had Natalia spinning back again. She sagged in relief as a group of SWAT officers with Eric in the middle came into view, racing up a stairwell she hadn't noticed until now.

Two officers pounced on Ray Don, kicking his pistol out of reach, flipping him onto his stomach and cuffing his wrists while he screamed and swore. A third officer stopped by TJ while Eric headed directly for Natalia and Calleigh. Eric paused by the brunette first, putting a hand on her upper arm, "You okay?" She nodded with a somewhat shaky smile and they both turned towards Calleigh. Eric took in her appearance and the pistol and looked at Natalia, "What happened?"

Natalia wearily shook her head. It was too much to try to put into words just now. Eric seemed to understand as he nodded slowly. Reaching down, he carefully removed the .32 from Calleigh's grasp, gently brushing his other hand down the side of her face. She mumbled something but her eyes remained closed. Price came over and looked at the three CSIs, "EMTs are on their way back here." He glanced back at Burrus, then raised an eyebrow at Eric, "She goes first this time."

Eric nodded sharply, his expression fierce, "Damn straight."

o o o o o

Thursday,

Ryder Medical Center

12:20 pm

Alexx hurried through the front entrance and strode up to the reception desk, "I'm looking for CSI Duquesne. She was brought in last night." Receiving the room number, she made her way to the elevators. Getting off on the fourth floor, Alexx strode down the hallway, muttering to herself. Although he'd let her know last night that Ray Don was in custody and that they had Mr. Duquesne back, Eric had waited until this morning to tell her everything else that had happened yesterday. Already at work with a full schedule, she'd had to wait until lunch to get to the hospital. Alexx loved Eric like he was her own and to prove it, she was seriously considering boxing his ears when she saw him. Arresting Ray Don Burrus had, apparently, only taken putting most of the Duquesne clan in the hospital. Calleigh had borne the brunt of it, adding a cracked rib, a number of stitches in her left hand and multiple, large contusions to the list of injuries already suffered. TJ was in with a concussion while Kenwall was recovering from a beating.

Tapping lightly on the door of Calleigh's room, Alexx stepped in and paused in surprise. Seeing Eric was expected, but Horatio wasn't. She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at her long-time friend, "Does anybody know you're here?"

The Lieutenant scowled lightly, "I'm fine, Alexx." He glanced over at Calleigh who still appeared to be asleep and added defensively, "I needed to be here." Yesterday had to have been the longest day of his life. For some reason, everyone thought he'd try something stupid and he'd wound up with Ryan keeping watch on him for most of the evening. At least the young CSI had had the foresight to bring a police scanner. It had been nerve-wracking as hell listening to everything that happened.

"Uh-huh," Alexx's tone plainly showed what she thought of his evasion to her question. She nodded towards Calleigh, "You needed to go AWOL so you could watch her sleep? You need your rest, too."

"Alexx, he was worried," Eric decided to defend his brother-in-law.

Alexx turned a laser glare on the younger CSI, "You, Mr. 'I-Don't-Need-To-Tell-Alexx-Everything' - you can just sit there quietly and think about how you're going to apologize for making me worry all morning."

"Could y'all keep it down, please? My head is killing me." The soft southern drawl froze everyone for a moment before they all turned towards the bed.

Eric was the first to find his voice as he surged to his feet, "Calleigh? Cal? Can you hear me?"

"Oh lord, stop shouting," Calleigh groaned as she attempted to shift in the bed. Grimacing, she kept her eyes squeezed shut.

"Calleigh?" Eric moderated his voice as he reached out to gently brush his hand over her forehead. He couldn't help smiling as her eyes slowly opened, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Tired. Hurts," she blinked once and then her eyes started to close. Suddenly they flew open, "Eric!" Calleigh started to push herself up only to stop with a gasp and a hand to her side.

"Easy, sweetie," Alexx admonished, coming up on the other side of the bed. Smiling, she reached out to touch Calleigh's shoulder, "You've cracked a rib. Want me to get the nurse?"

Calleigh shook her head, smiling back, her voice breathless, "I can hear!" She turned to Eric, looking radiant, "I heard you!" A moment later, her expression clouded over, "My dad? Where is he? Is he okay?"

Eric nodded, "Some lumps and bumps but he's going to be fine. They kept him overnight to make sure." He glanced back at Horatio, unsure if he should say anymore at the moment. He was fairly certain that Calleigh didn't realize that TJ had been there at the end and he didn't want to upset her. He needn't have worried. When Eric turned back, Calleigh's eyes were closing again. When it was apparent she had drifted off once more, Alexx nodded to Eric before taking control of Horatio's wheelchair. The three made their way quietly out into the hallway.

"Alexx," Horatio protested as Alexx continued down the hallway.

"Don't 'Alexx' me, Horatio. You should still be in bed yourself. You want to have a relapse and spend even more time in here?" Alexx's voice had that no-nonsense tone that all women seemed to perfect right after puberty.

Meanwhile, Eric couldn't help smiling. He looked over at Alexx, "Her hearing is back!"

"Yes, it is, baby," Alexx smiled in return. She leaned down a little closer to Horatio, "And before you ask, no, medically speaking, I haven't any idea what turned her hearing back on or what turned it off in the first place."

Horatio shook his head slightly and smiled, knowing Alexx couldn't see his face. After a moment, he raised his head, "So, medically speaking, this 'lapse' doesn't need to be on her records?"

Alexx pursed her lips thoughtfully, "I don't know... I'll have to talk to Dr. Castellini, but seeing how it was temporary, I don't see why it would need to be." If necessary, she would do her best to convince Dr. Castellini to leave it out or downplay the seriousness. She knew Horatio was worried that if Stetler found out, he'd try to get Calleigh fired on the grounds of mental instability. If there was no official medical evidence, hearsay wouldn't be enough. Alexx had full confidence that Dale Lindsay wouldn't say anything to IAB either.

Horatio gave a satisfied nod. He'd follow up on this later but for now, it was enough that Alexx was going to look into it. They reached his room and Eric gave him a hand getting back into bed. One of his nurses appeared moments later and it was obvious from her demeanor, that he'd been missed. Even though he knew he'd get a tongue-lashing from his doctor, Horatio didn't really care. It was worth it. Calleigh's hearing was back and that meant she'd be back as well.


	20. Chapter 20

This is it - the end of the story. Sorry for the long delay - work's been very busy and it took a little while to decide the best way to wrap this up while paying attention to canon. Thank you to those who reviewed and supported - I appreciate it very much and I hope you've enjoyed reading the story.

Chapter 20

Thursday,

Ryder Medical Center

3:20 pm

Natalia stepped out of TJ's room and stopped when she heard her name being called. Turning, she smiled as Eric walked up to her, "Hey, how's Calleigh doing?"

"Still asleep the last time I checked," Eric couldn't help smiling, too. The nightmare was finally ending.

"That's understandable. If I'd gone through all that, I think I'd sleep for a week," Natalia shook her head a little. When the EMTs had unfastened the bulletproof vest Calleigh was wearing, Natalia had been shocked to see blood on her t-shirt. She'd seen the bullet holes and powder burns on Calleigh's sweatshirt but there hadn't been any bloodstains and she'd assumed that the vest had done its work. She had no idea the slugs would penetrate. Fortunately, the vest had slowed the bullets enough and the wounds were superficial although the force of the impact had cracked a rib. "She's lucky that bastard didn't kill her."

Eric raised an eyebrow, "So are you."

Natalia arched an eyebrow right back and folded her arms, "That wasn't luck, that was a stone-stubborn Southern woman with a gun."

"Right, I forgot you prefer trashcan lids," Eric smirked lightly.

"Hey, you know what they say, 'Any port in a storm'. I was improvising." Natalia grinned in return. She turned and started down the hallway, Eric falling in alongside. Natalia smiled again, "So it's true? Calleigh's hearing is back?"

"Yeah," Eric grinned happily, "They're going to release her in the next day or so." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "How's TJ?"

Natalia rolled her eyes, "It must be a family trait. He's got a concussion and he's complaining about being stuck in the hospital."

"I hear you," Eric did his own eye-roll, wondering idly if pig-headedness could be passed along in one's DNA. If so, he was going to have his hands full with the children. Realizing what he'd just thought had Eric stopping dead in the corridor. Children? With Calleigh? A small smile worked its way out, Well, why the hell not?

"Eric? Hello? Eric?"

Eric blinked and discovered Natalia watching him with folded arms and a smug grin. He ducked his head a little, feeling his cheeks grow warm.

She rolled her eyes and stepped forward, threading an arm through his, "Come on Romeo, let's go see Juliet. I need to thank her for saving my ass."

Somewhat off-balance, he let her drag him along. She knew? How did she do that? HE didn't know for sure until just a moment ago. "Umm, Natalia?" he stuttered a bit, waffling on the best way to approach the topic.

Natalia shot him an amused grin as she walked him down the hallway. That deer-in-the-headlights look was definitely cute on him. "Relax, Eric. I've known, Ryan's known, Alex has known, H definitely knows - I'm pretty sure the only one who doesn't know is Stetler."

"What?" Eric gulped, "But - but - "

Natalia heaved a sigh. Spotting an alcove, she hauled Delko into it. "Look Eric, we're all your friends - you and Calleigh both - and I know this past year has been rough but come on, we're CSIs. You think we can't see what's right in front of us?"

"Natalia," flustered, Eric dropped his head as he rubbed the back of his neck.

She had a pretty good idea what was bothering him, "Hey, I know you were being as honest as you could about us. I also realize that you were on the rebound. I'll admit I wasn't happy with you at the time but that's in the past and I'm okay with it. Besides, like I said, Calleigh's a friend. You're good for her and I think she knows that."

"She's had a funny way of showing it," Eric couldn't help grumbling quietly. "Hey!' He glared at Natalia while rubbing his arm, "What was that for?"

Natalia put her hands on her hips. "That's for being such a guy. For god's sake, Eric." Natalia stepped closer, lowering her voice, "Look, after I got away from my ex-, it was months before I was comfortable around any man. It took even longer for the nightmares to slow down." She glanced away for a second, "After you told me about Owens, I went and asked Alexx about it." She took a deep breath and turned back to Eric with a scowl, "You're lucky she's not locked up in a psych ward somewhere. You think it's easy to put all that behind you? I'm impressed that she made it into work each day. Don't you dare judge her on how she decided to cope. You didn't live through it."

"I could have helped," Eric frowned back at her.

"No - no, you couldn't," Natalia's voice was suddenly gentler. "You've never been in that position. You have no frame of reference. Believe me, she wasn't trying to hurt you, she was trying to survive for you." Eric opened his mouth to argue and Natalia put up a hand, stopping him, "Listen, I understand that you only wanted to be there for her and that it hurt when she walked away. I get it. I really do, but come on, what did you think was going to happen when you started pushing? I've only known Calleigh a couple of years and I know that she keeps everything in. Did you really believe she could go through such a horrific experience and suddenly change how she deals with things?" Natalia's features tightened, "I still have problems talking about Nick and that's been over for years. There's no set timetable on this stuff. She'll talk when she's ready. That could be tomorrow or never. Deal with it. Everyone else has."

Eric glared at her, his mind leaping from one argument to another in his defense and then stopped. What the hell was he doing? For the second time in nearly two years, he'd come close to losing Calleigh altogether. What was he doing dwelling on the past? He finally shook his head, raising his hands a little at the same time, "You're right. I need to let this go."

Relieved, Natalia smiled, "You do." She gestured down the hallway, "Come on, I still want to see Calleigh before I head back to the lab. I've got a couple more hours to put in." They made their way down the corridor and stopped at the door to Calleigh's room.

Eric put a hand out just before Natalia tapped on the door, "Nat, she doesn't know about TJ yet."

"What?" Natalia stared at him in surprise, "Why didn't someone tell her?"

"I'm going to," Eric defended himself, "She fell asleep on me earlier before I could get to that part. All I told her was that we had Ray Don and that her dad was going to be okay."

"Well, that's something," mollified, Natalia knocked lightly and then opened the door and stuck her head in, "Calleigh?" She glanced back at Eric and walked quietly into the room.

Calleigh's eyes blinked open and she smothered a yawn while listening to the sound of knocking. She winced a little as she turned her head towards the door. A headache was beginning to make its presence felt. Despite that, she smiled when Natalia and Eric walked in, "Hey guys."

Natalia grinned as she walked up to the bed, "Hey yourself. You're looking better, how do you feel?"

"I'm okay," Calleigh assured them. Compared to how she'd felt earlier, the lingering aches and pains were an improvement.

Crossing her arms, Natalia shot a glance at Eric before raising an eyebrow, "Uh-huh, try again. I was there, you know, when Ray Don was caught. You were definitely not okay. So unless Louisiana is now found on Krypton, you've still got some healing to do."

Calleigh huffed a little in annoyance. Why was it no one ever seemed to believe her when she said she fine? "Honestly, I'm feeling a lot better. I just need to take it slow for a while." She frowned a bit as she remembered what else Natalia had said, "Wait, you were there?"

Now Eric rolled his eyes as he stepped closer to the bed, "Yes she was, and before Nat goes any further with the 'innocent bystander' routine, it was her and TJ that stopped Ray Don from escaping with you."

"You and TJ?" Calleigh stared at the brunette in worried surprise, "What happened?

Natalia shifted a little uncomfortably, "How much do you remember?"

Calleigh grimaced, gently massaging a temple. The headache was pounding a bit harder, "I remember seeing Dad tied to a chair and then the pallets falling towards me. It gets pretty chaotic after that." She shuddered slightly, "I remember waking up and finding Ray Don standing over me with a pistol. He started shooting into the vest. It felt like a sledgehammer hitting. I couldn't breathe. I guess I passed out again."

Eric nodded, his expression somewhat grim upon learning what Ray Don had done, "He'd booby-trapped the doorway to the storage area with a firebomb. After he had you, he set it off. We had to tear through a wall to get in. By then, he taken you and left through a hole he'd opened to the basement. There was a series of access doors connecting that building with the next four in line. The SWAT commander thought he'd gone that way and sent his teams to try and intercept him." He glanced over at Natalia.

She picked up the story, "TJ noticed a sewer tunnel access in the alley behind the second building and figured Ray Don would head there. No one would listen so he went on his own and I went with him. Turned out, he was right. I called Eric while TJ went after Ray Don."

Calleigh paled, "He went after Ray Don?"

Natalia nodded, "You should have seen him. He hit Ray Don like a linebacker and you all went down. Then he and Ray Don started pounding on each other. I pulled you out of the way." She ducked her head a little, "I probably should have tried to get you further away but I didn't want to leave TJ."

"Which was a good thing," Eric broke in, "Ray Don pulled a gun. He might have shot TJ but Natalia stopped him. Threw a trash can lid and hit Ray Don right in the face."

"You hit him with a trash can lid?" Calleigh's eyebrows climbed towards her hairline.

"Hey, I didn't have a lot of options, you know, and I've always been good with a frisbee. This was just a little bigger." Natalia gestured with her hands, looking torn between embarrassment and exasperation.

"I understand they're going to be standard issue next year," Eric said as solemnly as he could, merriment twinkling in his eyes. He easily evaded Natalia's half-hearted swipe.

"So then SWAT showed up?" Calleigh chuckled lightly at the two.

Natalia stared at the blonde, "No. Ray Don got up, called me a bitch and pointed his gun at my head. You don't remember any of this?" Wide-eyed, Calleigh shook her head. Natalia tilted her head to the side a little, "Calleigh, you shot him. He was about to kill me. You saved my life."

"I shot him?" Calleigh looked from Natalia to Eric.

"You still had your back-up gun. Apparently, Ray Don didn't know you carried one and never thought to look," Eric shook his head, grateful for small favors. "You hit him in the ankle."

"You're kidding," Calleigh stared at Eric in disbelief, "His ankle? Oh good Lord, was I aiming there?"

Eric shrugged helplessly, looking at Natalia while trying not to smile.

Natalia stifled a chuckle. It was obvious the blonde was somewhat mortified. "Well, I thought it was a pretty good shot." She held up her hands, "And before you ask, no I didn't see where you were aiming either. I had my eyes closed."

"What?" Calleigh asked.

Natalia rolled her eyes and directed a withering look at Eric who was grinning widely, "I said I had my eyes closed. That creep was about to shoot me - I wasn't going to watch."

Calleigh smiled in spite of herself, "I can't say I blame you." She sobered a moment later, "TJ? Is he okay?"

"He's got a concussion. They're keeping him until tomorrow, I think," Natalia smiled, "He's not a very good patient. Keeps insisting he's fine." She arched an eyebrow, giving Calleigh a meaningful stare, "I'm beginning to think no one born in the state of Louisiana knows what that word actually means."

Eric snorted in amusement and Calleigh gave him an exasperated glare, "Oh hush."

The sound of the door opening had all three turning. Dr. Castellini paused for a moment on seeing Calleigh's two visitors and then nodded towards them as she picked up the chart from the foot of the bed, "I need to examine Ms. Dusquesne. You can wait out in the hallway, it'll only take a minute or two."

"No problem," Natalia answered. She looked down at Calleigh, "I need to get back to the lab, anyway. I just wanted to check in, see how you were doing and thank you for what you did. I can come visit again tomorrow."

Castellini glanced up from her reading, "You might want to check first. If Ms. Dusquesne is doing as well as I believe she is, we'll be discharging her tomorrow."

"Yes!" Calleigh exclaimed happily.

Castellini chuckled as she shook her head at her patient's obvious delight, "I think my feelings are hurt." She turned her head and raised an eyebrow at Natalia and Eric.

The two CSIs took the hint. Natalia reached forward and squeezed Calleigh's hand, "Thanks again, Cal. I'll give you a call tomorrow." Turning to leave, she gave Eric a look and a grin, "Go for it, Montague."

Eric flushed a bit, "Ah, I'll just wait outside." Suiting action to words, he hurried out.

The two women watched him leave although their expressions were vastly different. Calleigh looked puzzled while Castellini was shaking her head in amusement. When Calleigh turned to look at her, the Doctor assumed a more serious expression. Pulling down the bed sheet, she gestured towards Calleigh's ribs, "Okay, how about lifting the gown and we'll see how the anvil is doing today."

Friday,

Ryder Medical Center

1:15 pm

"Come in," Calleigh called when she heard the quiet tapping on her door. She knew she wouldn't be taking something so minor for granted anymore and smiled a little. To mix a metaphor, being deaf had been an eye-opening experience.

Eric strolled in, not surprised to see that Calleigh was already dressed and her bag was packed. He smiled at her, "Going somewhere?"

She grinned back, leaning against the bed and carefully folding her arms, mindful of the injured hand. The gash had been deep and nasty but no tendons were damaged. With physical therapy, she'd regain full use, "And what leads you to that conclusion, Mr. Delko?"

"Well," Eric assumed a serious expression, "As a highly trained and keenly observant CSI, I'd have to say there are a number of clues."

"Do tell," Calleigh drawled slowly, her smile growing wider.

He solemnly pointed to her overnight bag, "The packed bag is pretty strong evidence,"

She glanced towards it with a bland expression, "Laundry."

"And the fact you're leaning against the bed and not in it," Eric maintained a grave expression with difficulty.

"Stretching my legs."

"You're not in a hospital gown," Eric smirked lightly, folding his arms as well.

"It clashed with my shoes."

"Hmmm," Eric tapped his chin before shrugging, "It appears I've misinterpreted the evidence. I guess I'll just go." He turned around.

"Freeze, mister."

Turning back, Eric did his best to keep an innocent expression, "Is there a problem, Ms. Dusquesne?"

She smiled sweetly, "Only if you try to leave without me."

Eric raised his eyebrows while putting a hand to his chest, "Moi? Never." He walked over to the bed, picked up her bag and executed an elaborate bow while gesturing towards the door, "After you."

Chuckling, Calleigh stepped away from the bed and dropped a curtsy that would have done her mother proud, "Thank you, kind sir." She threaded a hand through the elbow he offered as they walked the few steps to the door. There, Eric placed her and the bag carefully to the side, pantomiming grandly that she should stay while he opened the door. Swallowing her smile at his exaggerated charade, Calleigh nodded demurely and folded her hands, the picture of Southern delicacy.

Eric eyed her for a moment to make sure she was still before turning towards the door. Producing a tissue from his pocket, he made a show of shaking it out and dusting off the door handle and then the floor in front of it. Replacing the tissue to his pocket with a flourish, Eric bent down, wiggled his fingers and delicately pulled the door open with his thumb and forefinger.

Dale Lindsay stood there with his hand poised to knock. Calleigh covered her mouth with both hands in an attempt to stifle her laughter while Dale's eyebrows flew upwards. Eric stood frozen, still bent over. The tableau held for a second or two before Eric shot upright, taking a step backwards. Calleigh turned away, laughing helplessly, one hand clutching her side. "Dale! I - uh - I was just - ", Eric stuttered, his face turning red.

Dale grinned at him, "Acting squirrelly?"

Calleigh turned back, still laughing, "Is that the professional term?"

Dale turned to her, assuming a serious expression, "Of course. I am, after all, a consummate professional. On the Freud Wokka-Wokka Scale of Silly, it's below loony tunes and above bonkers." He directed his attention to Eric, "Make an appointment with the receptionist and I guarantee we'll have you bonkers in no time."

Eric raised his hands in surrender, "Alright, alright, you two. I think you've had enough fun at my expense."

Dale lifted an eyebrow again, looking over at Calleigh, "Have we?" Calleigh shook her head, still chuckling. Dale spread his hands, "Sorry, it appears there's still some time left on the ridicule meter." He looked over at Calleigh, "Shall we make fun of his shirt?"

"What's wrong with my shirt?" Eric demanded, glaring between Dale and Calleigh.

"Butterflies and flowers? Dude, are you serious?" Dale raised an eyebrow.

Eric flushed, "My nieces gave it to me for my birthday. They picked it out themselves."

"That's so sweet," Calleigh smiled at him.

Eric smiled back and then shot a triumphant look at Dale, "Hah!"

"My eyes are starting to bleed," Dale shook his head and turned to look at Calleigh, becoming serious once more, "Do you have a moment, Ms. Dusquesne?"

Calleigh sobered at once, glancing at Eric, "I suppose so."

Eric looked between the two, "I'll be waiting in the hall." Shooting a warning glare at Dale as he passed, Eric left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Calleigh folded her arms, unconsciously assuming a defensive position, "What can I do for you?"

"You can agree to talk to someone," Dale replied.

"Why?" Calleigh's expression hardened a bit. "I'm fine."

"You need to put the Ashbys and the Burrus brothers to rest, once and for all," Dale countered.

"I have," Calleigh snapped. "Those three lunatics won't ever bother me again. It's over."

"And what about Rad and Maude Ashby?" Dale asked softly. "You were only sixteen. No one should have had to do what you did. It's been festering for too many years - you need to talk it out."

"Why?" Calleigh demanded, throwing her hands in the air and wincing, "Why the hell would I want to relive any of that? It won't change anything. I've spent years trying to forget it!"

"And the Ashbys, too?" Dale countered, "They were important. They had a hand in raising you. Have you ever been able to think of them without jumping to the Burrus brothers?" When Calleigh glared at him silently, the psychiatrist nodded, "That's what I thought. Ms. Dusquesne, let me help."

"How? By dredging up all those old memories? That's easy for you, isn't it? You're not the one who's going to have nightmares. No thanks," Calleigh shook her head decisively.

"Your nightmares are there because you keep suppressing this," Dale argued. "The pressure's only going to keep building."

"According to you," Calleigh snapped, "As far as I can see, the 'pressure' you're so worried about ended when they slapped the cuffs on Ray Don. What's done is done. I am not going to wallow in the hell they put me through to satisfy your psychiatric voyeurism and that's final. Now if you'll excuse me, I've been discharged and I'd like to get going."

Frustrated, Dale regarded her for a long moment before reaching into a pocket. Pulling out a business card, he held it out, "Take this. If you ever do feel like talking, you can call any time - day or night." When she made no move to take the card, he sighed, "Please? Just humor me. You can shred it later when I'm not around." When she reluctantly took the card, he tipped his head, "Thank you. Goodbye, Ms. Duquesne. Take care of yourself." Turning, he walked out of the room. Eric was back in almost immediately.

He eyed Calleigh cautiously, trying to gauge her mood. Dale could push her buttons faster than anyone he'd ever seen. When she gave him a wan smile, he smiled tentatively back, "You okay?"

"Not according to Dale," Calleigh sighed. "Would you mind if we got going? TJ's going to think something dire has happened and I wanted to see Horatio, too, before we get going." Her father had gotten released this morning, checking in with her before he left. He was still sore but Ray Don hadn't inflicted any lasting damage. Duke wanted to get home to his own bed. He wasn't particularly fond of hospitals either.

"Sure," Eric picked up her bag and gestured for her to precede him. Once in the hallway, he moved up alongside. They walked in silence for a bit while Eric tried to decide if asking her what Dale had said to bother her would make it worse. Having finally been on the receiving side of Dale's questions, he now had an appreciation for just how annoying the psychiatrist could be.

Calleigh looked over at Eric. He was so obviously biting his tongue, she was half surprised part of it didn't fall out. Sighing again, she gave him a rueful smile, "Dr. Lindsay thinks I should keep seeing him so I can share the delights of my storybook childhood."

Eric ducked his head a little, "I'm guessing you told him no." It wasn't really a guess. Calleigh was intensely private.

Calleigh couldn't help frowning, "I did. My family history is none of his business."

Eric was silent for a few steps before venturing quietly, "You know, if you do need to vent about something, I won't mind listening."

"I know," Calleigh's voice was equally quiet.

They fell silent again but reached TJ's room before it could get awkward. Her brother had the door open almost at the first tap and Eric grinned while commenting dryly, "Way to play hard-to-get."

o o o o o

Eric followed Calleigh into the kitchen. TJ had retreated to the guest room as soon as they arrived at her place. Despite his protests about being fine, it was obvious his head still hurt and he was tired. An amused Eric had watched Calleigh, in mother-hen mode, steamroll her brother into bed with ibuprofen, water and strict instructions to rest. Grinning at the memory of the staunch Army captain succumbing meekly to his sister's orders, Eric glanced up and realized she was watching him. "You want some coffee?" she asked, smiling a little.

"Sure," he agreed amicably. Hell, if she'd offered him cod liver and castor oil, he'd have said yes just so he could stay a bit longer. "Want some help?"

"No - yes," she grimaced, unable to open the coffee container because of her hand. Eric unscrewed the lid while she pulled out a new filter and then measured the crystals into the coffeemaker.

"Anything else?" he asked after pouring in the water.

Calleigh gestured apologetically towards a cabinet, "There's some butter cookies in a tin up there. I can't - "

"No, you can't, not with that rib," Eric shot her a stern look before giving her his best smile, "Think of me as your valet for now. Why don't you go sit down and let me get everything ready?"

Calleigh carefully folded her arms, her accent becoming noticeably thicker, "And get drummed out of the Southern hostess corps entirely? I don't think so."

Eric couldn't help chuckling as he raised an eyebrow, "Wow, sounds like a tough group. No leeway for injuries?"

"None," Calleigh assured him, "Proper Southern women can handle social situations that would make a SEAL cry. Don't make me get my apron."

Eric couldn't help laughing as he held up his hands, "Wouldn't dream of it." He went to the cabinet and pulled out the tin of cookies, prying open the lid and putting it on the counter with a flourish. Smirking, he gave a small bow, "The kitchen is now yours. I will be the perfect guest."

Calleigh rolled her eyes before flashing him a dazzling smile, "Welcome, it's so good of you to come. Please make yourself at home, the coffee will be ready soon. May I get you anything in the meantime?"

With an effort, Eric refrained from his first answer. He gestured towards the kitchen chairs, "Is it alright if I sit there?"

Calleigh fluttered a hand - something Eric found completely fascinating. He'd seen what he'd thought of as fluttering before but it was like comparing T-ball to the Major League. There was a languid grace to the movement that sent his pulse racing. Telling himself to get a grip, he wrenched his attention away from her hand to find Calleigh watching him in amusement. "What?" he managed, grateful his voice didn't squeak.

She gave him a slow smile, her accent dripping from her words like honey, "Darlin', you may perch on top of the TV if it makes you happy. Of course, you can sit there."

Eric dropped into the chair with a thump while Calleigh turned back into the kitchen. A few minutes later, she placed a neatly arranged tray of cookies on the table, following that up with coffee mugs, cream and sugar. Eric watched silently - it was like a ballet. Five minutes after that, Calleigh brought the coffee pot over, poured and sat down with him. She waited until he'd taken a sip and smiled, "Well?"

He grinned at her, lifting the mug a little, "Very good - and the floor show was pretty good, too."

Her eyebrows rose in mock outrage, "Floor show? Pretty good?"

"Exceptionally good - perfect - a ten," Eric rattled off, still grinning.

"That's better," looking mollified, Calleigh sipped her coffee. There was a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Calleigh cleared her throat. When Eric looked at her expectantly, she couldn't help dropping her eyes to her hands, absently fiddling with the bandaging, "So... " She paused, taking a breath, and started again, "So - where are we exactly?"

Eric swallowed his flip response of 'in your kitchen' and took another sip of coffee before putting the mug down, "I guess that sort of depends on where we're going."

Calleigh's hands tightened a little as she exhaled slowly, "And where are we going?"

Eric tilted his head, "Does it matter?" He paused, eyeing her before smiling suddenly, "If we're together?"

Calleigh froze for a split second before relaxing and smiling, too, "I guess not - if we're together."

o o o o o

8 weeks later,

CSI HQ

Miami, Florida

1410 Local

Horatio absently fiddled with his sunglasses as he rode the elevator up to the main floor of the lab. He glanced over at Alexx and flashed her a brief smile, "It feels a bit odd."

Alexx nodded, smiling back, "It won't for long. It's your first day back." She shook a finger at him, "Take it easy and don't overdo it. No field duty for another month and that's non-negotiable."

"Yes, Dr. Woods," Horatio refrained from rolling his eyes as he stared at the elevator doors. Even though he wasn't looking at her, he knew she'd know. Finally the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Inhaling carefully, he stepped out onto the floor of the busy lab and smiled. Feeling a light touch on his arm, he glanced over to see Alexx smiling at him. "What?" he asked.

"You," she replied, shaking her head. She waved a hand, "Go. I believe Calleigh's in your office. I'm going back to Autopsy where I might actually be of use."

"Thanks, Alexx," Horatio flashed her another smile, ducking his head a bit. He watched as she got back on the elevator and the doors closed. Turning back around, he walked the familiar route to his office. Along the way, he accepted the smiles and greetings from various lab techs. Reaching the stairs to his office, Horatio paused for a moment, frowning slightly. He had yet to see any of his team. Mentally shrugging, he told himself there was no reason to worry. They were probably out in the field. Crime in Miami rarely took a break.

Slowly, he walked up the stairs. He definitely needed to get back in shape, he hadn't remembered the steps being quite so steep before. Reaching the landing, Horatio paused in front of the door. It was closed and oddly enough, he felt the urge to knock. He shook his head. This was his office, there was no need for knocking and Calleigh knew he was coming in today. Actually, he was a bit surprised she hadn't met him in the lobby. On the other hand, it was entirely possible she was doing her best to clear the never-ending piles of paperwork off his desk before he was officially back. Horatio shook his head. Trying to stay ahead of bureaucracy and its attendant forms was comparable to Sisyphus spending eternity rolling a boulder uphill only to have it roll back down each time.

He was still thinking about it when the door opened. Calleigh stood before him and raised an eyebrow, "Planning on coming in any time soon, Lieutenant?" She smiled at the faint blush that appeared on his face just before he ducked his head and walked forward. Still grinning, Calleigh stepped to the side to let him in.

Horatio's eyes widened when he finally looked up. Now he knew where the rest of his team was. Eric, Ryan, Natalia and Frank were waiting for him with wide smiles. The coffee table in front of the couch was loaded with finger foods. Horatio's smile broke the tableau. Natalia reached him first, giving him a careful hug. Eric, Ryan and Frank stepped forward to shake hands. Finally, he turned to Calleigh. She was standing back a bit, smiling as she watched him reconnect with his team. Hopefully, this signaled the return of the Horatio that he'd been before the tragedies of Marisol and Ray's deaths.

Horatio dropped his chin a bit, giving her a sideways look and a quiet smile. Calleigh accepted his silent invitation, stepping up into his embrace. "It's good to have you back," she whispered quietly.

Nodding wordlessly, Horatio released his hold and let her step back, turning to face the others, "Thank you for this."

"No problem, H," Eric grinned, sharing a look with Calleigh.

"Can we eat now?" Ryan asked, giving Natalia a 'what was that for' look when she lightly elbowed him in the side. "Hey, I missed lunch, you know."

Chuckling, Horatio waved a hand, "Dig in."

They managed about fifteen minutes of eating and chatting before the first pagers went off. Frank pulled his out, "Convenience store robbery gone bad. We've got some bodies." He looked over at Horatio, "Good to have you back." Eric echoed his words as he followed the big man out.

Five minutes after that, Ryan and Natalia's pagers sounded. Natalia rolled her eyes as Ryan tried to finish what he was eating, pulling out her pager, "Got a DB in a vacant lot." She gave Horatio a quick smile, "See you when we get back - don't overdo it." With that, she herded Ryan out the door ahead of her.

Horatio watched them leave before turning back to Calleigh, "That's one way to clear a room." He gestured towards the couch, "Mind sitting down?" Once they were settled, he eyed her carefully, "So, how are you?"

Calleigh smiled at him, "Isn't that my line? You just got out of the hospital."

He raised an eyebrow, "All I did was forget to duck. You got to relive one of your worst nightmares. How are you?"

She studied him for a long moment before dropping her eyes to her hands. The scars on her hand and forearm were still visible while the abrasions on her wrists hadn't left any permanent marks. Finally, she looked up, tossing her hair back a bit defiantly, "I'm surviving. It's what I do."

He nodded slowly, "And do well." Horatio looked down for a moment, "I'm sorry about adding to the burden."

Calleigh shook her head, "Don't apologize, it's not like I haven't done this before. I'm just glad you've had a full recovery."

Horatio tilted his head towards her, "I do need to apologize - I was talking about before the Burrus brothers showed up. I was hurt and angry and I took it out on you and the others. I am sorry."

Calleigh was silent for a bit before nodding slowly, "Apology accepted." She gave Horatio a long look, "Please don't ever shut me out like that again. You mean the world to me and I love this job but next time, I won't stay."

"Understood. There won't be a next time," Horatio replied solemnly. They were both silent for a minute or two before Horatio leaned back, "How's Eric?" He smiled at the look on her face, "I was shot in the chest, not the head."

Calleigh ducked her head, blushing a little, "We're taking it slow for now - seeing where it leads. It's - nice."

"He's a good man," Horatio nodded. "When - and if -," he qualified, not wanting her to feel pressured, "you two decide to go to the next level, I'll run interference with IAB and Rick."

"I appreciate that," Calleigh replied softly.

From there, the two fell into a comfortable conversation as Calleigh brought Horatio up to speed on what was happening in the lab. Tomorrow he would return full-time and Calleigh would return to Ballistics and her role as second-in-command.

One month later, Clavo Cruz would make his escape during a court appearance, starting a chain of events that would turn the CSIs' lives upside down.

- finis -


End file.
